Black West Indian Mothering : A Canadian Perspective

Raising a family in a society where the culture, values, and beliefs differ from one's 'home country', is a challenge for most immigrants. This is especially true for Black West Indian mothers as they try to raise their children in a society where race, class, and gender are forces of oppression and marginalization. This qualitative study examined the experiences of a small group of single Black West Indian mothers raising their children in a large urban Canadian city. Black Feminist thought was used as the theoretical framework to analyze critically the social barriers and supports impacting this group. The results revealed that while these women experienced negative attitudes when working with government workers, and differences in childrearing practices between West Indian and Canadian cultures; attending community parenting programs were a source of social support and relevant parenting information. Implications for health promotion initiatives and recommendations for future research are discussed.