This study seeks to identify discourses on ethnic minority children in the preschool system of Copenhagen, and in extension investigate what consequences the discourses have to the “subject position” of the children. The study includes a small-scale qualitative study of Copenhagen institutions based on the collection of three semi-structured interviews with preschool pedagogues. Additionally, the “Inclusionguide” from the municipality of Copenhagen have been included to strengthen the analysis. The material has been analysed using a range of theoretical concepts of Michel Foucault. Based on the analysis, the thesis identifies several elements, which permeates discourses surrounding ethnic minority children. The thesis concludes that discrepancies between the institutional sphere and the family sphere can cause the children be categorised as “wrong” or “abnormal” according to the discourses reproduced in the institutions. Furthermore, the thesis suggests that discourses are based on dualistic assumptions and controlling power relations, and are problematic to challenge.

In the United States, asthma remains a major cause of frequent urgent care visits, hospitalizations, and preventable deaths among children. Nationwide, the chronic disease continues to fall disproportionately on minorities, mostly residing in urban localities. When a child is diagnosed with asthma, the parents are typically tasked with managing the child's condition. Establishing a collaborative partnership between parents and their child's primary physician is significant for improving asthma self-management among youth. Using the theory of reasoned action as a theoretical framework, this mixed-methods study examined whether a relationship exists between parental perceptions of physician cultural sensitivity and parental care in asthma treatment adherence. Phenomenology was used to explore the real-world experiences of study five ethnic minority parents and one guardian grandparent of asthmatic children aged 0–17 who shared similar perspectives. Descriptive surveys were used in combination with in-depth interviews to develop an understanding of parental perceptions on physician cultural sensitivity related to asthma treatment adherence. Overall, 108 minority parents were eligible to complete the survey. The study findings revealed that parents who feel recognized, valued, and respected by their child's physician were more likely to be engaged in shared decision-making about treatment. The findings support the potential for positive social change in terms of modifying the health care behaviors of minority parents with asthmatic children, increasing parental self-efficacy in managing their child's asthma, and improving the cultural sensitivity of physicians who serve the needs of diverse minority families.

Ethnic minority children living in relative poverty are a high-risk group for poor outcomes in all aspects of wellbeing. The relationship and interactions between child and parent are a key part of child development and a platform for providing positive experiences which can benefit a child’s wellbeing. There is therefore a need to identify what facilitates wellbeing for ethnic minority children in low-socioeconomic status families. By focusing on protective and promotive factors encompassing the parent-child relationship, factors can be identified which can use family strengths as a basis for interventions and practice within healthcare, social work and education, which is what this systematic literature review set out to do. Through a diligent search of the literature, 12 articles were identified for review according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, containing research on African American, Roma, Native American and Hispanic/Latino youth. The results inform how child wellbeing can be facilitated through several parental factors, including parental involvement and support, maternal attachment, paternal warmth and ethnic identity and ethnic socialization. The findings also indicate a need for further studies on paternal influence on wellbeing in especially Native American and Roma youth, as well as the impact of ethnic socialization on youth wellbeing. Parents have an important role to play in child wellbeing and are vital partners alongside the child when planning interventions. Considerations naturally need to be shown for each ethnic minority, the child’s setting and its individual characteristics.