A B S T R AC TFathers exist in the lives of women and children involved with child welfare authorities, and yet, they are rarely seen by child welfare. This invisibility exists whether or not fathers are deemed as risks or as assets to their families. Using an analysis of fundamental child welfare policies and practices and relevant literature, the paper examines how 'ghost' fathers are manufactured, and how this phenomenon affects families and professionals in child welfare. An analysis of gender, class, race and culture of child welfare discourses shows how these fathers are seen as deviant, dangerous, irresponsible and irrelevant, and even further, how absence in child welfare is inextricably linked to blaming mothers. In failing to work with fathers, child welfare ignores potential risks and assets for both mothers and children.
N OT E1 Thanks to the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council for the funding of this project. 2 In our larger study, we examined fundamental child welfare and related social welfare policies and practices that affect how fathers are seen or not seen in child welfare, and some of the values underpinning these. As part of this review, we considered how social workers Father presence and absence in child welfare L Brown et al.
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