No tools, yet full of imagination: creative parenting solutions for young children at risk from East Jerusalem

Background Child removal due to abuse and/or neglect is a highly complex and traumatic process for both children and their families. In a politically challenging context such as East Jerusalem, systemic, geopolitical, and sociocultural factors further complicate this process, heightening family vulnerability and creating barriers to effective intervention. Objective This paper examines how Palestinian parents in East Jerusalem experience and respond to state removal of their children, focusing on their feelings of institutional and social exclusion, their critique of the “best interests of the child” principle, and their proposed care alternatives. Methods This study employs a constructive-qualitative approach ( Shkedi, 2007 , Strauss and Corbin, 1998 ), drawing on semi-structured, in-depth interviews and thematic analysis to examine their lived experience. Participants and setting The participants were 13 mothers, eight fathers, and one aunt from East Jerusalem whose children, between the ages of 0 and 6, were removed from their homes by a court order due to neglect and/or abuse. Results The analysis revealed two main themes: (1) parents’ sense of exclusion and their critique of how social services understand “the child’s best interests” and (2) parents’ creative suggestions for alternative interventions that prioritize child safety while maintaining family unity and cultural continuity. Conclusion Despite limited resources and institutional mistrust, parents propose creative and context-sensitive alternatives to child removal. These insights underscore the need for culturally adapted welfare practices that engage parents as active agents in protecting their children and preserving family unity