Enhancing Culturally Integrative Family Safety Response in Muslim Communities

This informative new volume presents the Culturally Integrative Family Safety Response (CIFSR) model that is currently being used by the Muslim Resource Centre for Social Support and Integration (MRCSSI) in London, Ontario. Created to support immigrant and newcomer families from collectivist backgrounds struggling with issues related to pre-migration trauma, family violence, and child protection concerns, the CIFSR model focuses on early risk identification and intervention, preserving safety, and appropriate conflict responses. Also included is a Q&A chapter from the authors that invites helping professionals, educators, and other readers to apply the model globally.

Mohammed Baobaid, PhD, earned his doctoral degree from the Institute of Psychology at the University of Erlangen Nurnberg in Germany and is currently the executive director and founder of the Muslim Resource Centre for Social Support and Integration (MRCSSI) in Canada. Dr. Baobaid has been instrumental in initiating research elements in works related to violence prevention including family violence and youth violence. For 30 years he has conducted research to identify the challenges of working with victims of family violence and youth violence in Yemen and Canada. His research resulted in developing culturally integrative family violence prevention and intervention strategies. Lynda M. Ashbourne, PhD, RMFT, is an associate professor, family therapist, clinical supervisor, and instructor of novice couple and family therapists in the Department of Family Relations & Applied Nutrition at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada. Her research has focused on family relationships and the challenges to those of broader social influences such as migration. She has collaborated with Dr. Mohammed Baobaid since 2001 in considering how systemic and relational therapy practices can enhance work with families who have experienced global migration and pre- and post-migration influences of violence.

List of Figures Acknowledgements 1. Introduction 2. The Culturally Integrative Family Safety Response Model 3. Building Connections - Training, Capacity-building & Prevention 4. Early Intervention 5. Engaging with Complex High Risk Situations and Broader Systems 6. Culturally Informed Models of Responses to Family Violence in Collectivist Communities 7. Training Implications 8. What We've Learned and Future Directions Appendix A: Four Aspects Screening Tool (FAST) Appendix B: Glossary of Acronyms