How the intersection of applied anthropology with time-space intelligent child protection social work can help protect the world's children

Our world is experiencing a flux of boundaries and borders, carrying with them a mass of humanity that is seeking refuge, and fighting for the right to live their lives in peace. Caught in this tide of change are the... [ view full abstract ]

Our world is experiencing a flux of boundaries and borders, carrying with them a mass of humanity that is seeking refuge, and fighting for the right to live their lives in peace. Caught in this tide of change are the children; some torn away from their families, and some setting off on their own—but both vulnerable to danger and exploitation. While professionals in many countries mobilize to preserve the innocence and health of these most vulnerable people, they must do so seeking not only child safety, but practitioner safety as well. This must be accomplished via accurate assessments. To achieve such a high level of assessment accuracy, we propose that the practices of applied anthropology and time-space intelligent child protection social work must permanently intersect. This is because each discipline possesses tenets that, when converged, could create a powerful lens to help protect our children from abuse and/or neglect. This discussion will provide a clear explication of how this might be possible.