Citation

Reich JA. Sociol. Compass 2008; 2(3): 888-909.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/j.1751-9020.2008.00111.x

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The child welfare system remains one of the most important welfare institutions in regulating family life and meanings of gender. However, it has largely escaped sociological analysis. This article provides a framework for thinking about the meanings of state intervention in family life and describes the legal and procedural machinations of the system by providing an overview of the history of the system. In doing so, this article elucidates the complex and contradictory mandates the child-protective services system and its actors face and raises several questions or quandaries that remain under-explored and deserving of analytical attention.