During their presentation at the recent 2022 Shoulder to Shoulder Conference Lynn Price and Karyn Schimmels introduced the audience to the concept of “Family Privilege”. This idea highlights an understanding of patterns in Child Welfare.
The following excerpt is from a 2001 article in Reclaiming Children and Youth <http://reclaimingjournal.com/>. The article is entitled: “Growing up without Family Privilege” by John Seita.
“Family Privilege is defined as the benefits, mostly invisible, that come from membership in a stable family. Most people cannot even imagine what life might be like without Family Privilege. Only as we recognize the power of Family Privilege can we begin to grasp how its absence hinders development. Bill Buford (1955) notes that family is the essential presence – the thing that never leaves you even if you have to leave it.
Family Privilege is an invisible package of assets and pathways that provides us with a sense of belonging, safety, unconditional love, and spiritual values. With Family Privilege, children observe parents or older siblings to see the effort it takes to be successful in life. Family Privilege provides the chance to hope and to dream. “
For more about family privilege, read the article “Growing up without Family Privilege” by John Seita.
Link: <http://reclaimingjournal.com/sites/default/files/journal-article-pdfs/10_3_Seita.pdf>
