PhD Student News

Cecilia Ayón Wins Doctoral Dissertation Support Award

Cecilia Ayón, doctoral student, is the winner of the School of Social Work's Fall 2007 doctoral dissertation support award. This award, supported by the Dissertation Endowment, is given annually to one student to support his or her outstanding doctoral student dissertation research.

The title of Cecilia’s dissertation is Integrating the Lived Experienced of Mexican-Origin Families in the Delivery of Child Welfare Services: A Focus on Histories of Immigration, Cultural Values and Expectations, and Contextual Factors

Abstract:

Latino families and their children constitute the fastest growing ethnic group in the public child welfare system. Yet little is known about the experiences of Mexican and other Latino families with this institution. With a focus on lived experiences of Mexican families in the U.S. including their histories of immigration, cultural practices and expectation, and contextual factors, this study aims to examine, from the perspective of the parent and caseworker, (a) the paths to services Mexican families experience, (b) the inclusion of parents’ voices in the case process, and (c) the cultural expectations that are negotiated and/or are addressed and integrated into the delivery of services. This study has the potential of influencing child welfare policies, assessment and service models, and informing training models used to provide culturally congruent services to this population. 

Grounded theory will be used to examine the experience and interactions of Mexican-origin families with the public child welfare system. Grounded theory provides guidelines for completing the content analysis and can lead to theoretical or conceptual models. A qualitative method that has been selected as the focus of this study is on a population that has not been well studied within the context of the child welfare system and because the focus is on the case process (i.e., accessing services, parents’ opportunities to voice their opinions, and integration/negotiation of cultural practices and expectations).  Interviews will be completed with 15-25 adult parents of Mexican origin with an open child protective service (CPS) case, and who are 1st, 1.5, or 2nd generation immigrants; and 15-20 child welfare caseworkers who have experience working with Mexican origin families.