Support without recognition – perspectives on parenting in Sweden among parents with migration experiences

In Sweden, children with migration experiences often encounter poorer socio-economic conditions than those with Swedish backgrounds. Research highlights the need to better understand parenting by including parents with migration experiences. This study examines how these parents understand and manage the actual and normative expectations placed upon them in Sweden and how they perceive welfare-state support for families. It also explores how experiences of subordination shape the parents' narratives. Using a framework that combines theories around postcolonialism and conviviality, this study highlights power structures that affect parenthood while acknowledging aspirations for equal coexistence. The analysis is structured around two themes: (i) precarious parenthood and (ii) the gaze of the welfare state. The findings show that parents feel uncertain in their dealings with welfare professionals and scrutinized by them, describing not being trusted or seen as competent. From a postcolonial perspective, such experiences relate to the parents' position as resettled migrants and their socio-cultural capital. While challenges persist, conviviality offers a lens for understanding the tensions arising from these experiences. This study suggests that anti-racist social work frameworks are needed to address these challenges.