Five Master of Social Work students from the University of Minnesota Duluth brought their child welfare expertise to an important conversation about supporting refugee and immigrant families this week in Duluth. 

Caitlen Christensen, Andrea Larson, Ashley Maki, Cory Mooney, and Julie Svatos facilitated “Child Welfare at the Crossroads: Anti-Oppressive Practice with Refugee and Immigrant Families” on October 7 at the 2026 St. Louis County Health and Human Services Conference.

Together, the students have extensive child welfare work experience across Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Florida. Their presentation connected that experience with their graduate education, inviting professionals to examine how everyday decisions could better support children and families.

The training explored how refugee and immigrant families encountered child welfare systems while navigating language barriers, unfamiliar institutions, economic hardship, and the effects of migration. Participants considered how these circumstances influenced the understanding of families’ needs and responses to child safety concerns. The session encouraged attendees to examine how unequal access to resources and services shaped families’ involvement with the system.

Through small-group discussions, attendees explored scenarios inspired by real-world situations involving refugee and immigrant families. Participants considered how professionals could respond to safety concerns while respecting families’ cultural identities, strengths, and dignity. Discussions also examined the power workers held and the ethical responsibilities that came with it.

The session emphasized anti-oppressive practice: recognizing and addressing bias, unequal treatment, and barriers that limited families’ choices and access to support. It provided opportunities to reflect on building respectful relationships, questioning assumptions, and making thoughtful decisions alongside families.

By sharing their experience and creating space for reflection, these future social workers contributed to conversations about more equitable child welfare practice and demonstrated how graduate learning could inform meaningful dialogue within the broader human services community.