Counterpoint: Child Welfare System: Evolution/Revolution

Alan Dettlaff’s abolitionist argument demands the dismantling of the child welfare system due to its historically oppressive practices, particularly toward Black and Indigenous families. Dettlaff contends that reform is a myth and completely insufficient. In this article, I argue that the limitations Dettlaff attributes to reform are based on either a dismissal or misreading of its actual impact. I propose that both evolutionary (reformative) and revolutionary (transformative) strategies are the key to meaningful and sustainable change in the system. This approach allows for the cultivation of essential components of the system while dismantling those that cause harm. I also argue that many of the elements Dettlaff proposes under an abolitionist framework are already being pursued through reform, and this article will highlight the many commonalities that are shared across these advocacy arenas.