Empowering the “Unfit” Mother Increasing Empathy, Redefining the Label

This article presents the results of a qualitative study that examined the experiences of women who were deemed “unfit” to care for their children. The voices of these mothers call attention to the difficult process of recovery from addiction while trying to regain custody of one's children. A strengths-based empowerment approach is emphasized in work with these women, beginning with a redefinition of the label “unfit.”