Help can harm: Unintended consequences of child protection and parenting support for Vietnamese immigrant families in Germany

Abstract

In this paper, we explore the unintended consequences of parenting support and child protection services for families who have migrated from Vietnam to Berlin, Germany. We identify such negative consequences on three levels: The relationship between practitioners and parents was, contrary to good intentions, often characterized by tensions and distrust, which may undermine effective collaboration. Another potentially detrimental effect of parenting support is that parents may experience an intensification of parenting, increased stress, and insecurity concerning their competencies. Finally, parenting support may amplify intergenerational conflicts as children witness and potentially adopt the devaluation of their parents as incompetent agents. We argue that research and practice need to systematically attend to unintended consequences to avoid harm and develop more helpful approaches. In a plural society, we suggest, parenting support must be guided by the well-established insight that parenting varies for good reasons across groups, socioeconomic conditions, and individual families.