“Failure to Protect” documents the impact on mothers of child welfare approaches. Astoundingly and unethically, mothers are often blamed and held accountable for the violence of men/fathers and “engaged” as the targets of the child welfare intention. Post-violence, mothers are highly pathologized and often established as ‘unfit’ to parents. This book outlines the critical issues while offering recommendations for ethical, mother-supporting approaches to social intervention. These include supporting the mother-child bond, which has often been deliberately harmed through paternal violence, and co-constructing safety plans to protect women and children from male violence in the family context.
