What’s Race Got To Do What’s Race Got To Do With It?With It?

An Honest Conversation About An Honest Conversation About the Impact of Racism on the Child the Impact of Racism on the Child

Welfare SystemWelfare System

The The child welfare systemchild welfare system is a is a community systemcommunity system

Family Support Services

Law Enforcement

Media

Advocacy groups

HospitalsClinics Child

Protective Services

You

Churches, religious groups

Family

Courts

Healthcare

NeighborsEducation

Defining the ProblemDefining the Problem

Children of color are disproportionately and often overrepresented within the child welfare system due to

structural racism within systems.

Defining the ProblemDefining the Problem

DisproportionalityRefers to the situation where a particular racial and/or ethnic group is represented

within a social system at a rate or percentage that is not proportionate to

their representation in the general population.

Defining the ProblemDefining the Problem

OverrepresentationRefers to the situation where a particular racial/and or ethnic group is represented within a social system at a higher rate or

percentage than their representation in the general population

Defining the ProblemDefining the Problem

Disparate Treatment and Outcomes

When comparing minority to non-minority, children of color are treated

differently, resulting in poorer outcomes for families of color.

Structural RacismStructural Racism

Describes the complex combination of factors that

generate and perpetuate racial and ethnic inequities in systems

and institutions throughout America.

Decision Points for the Child Decision Points for the Child Welfare SystemWelfare System

1. Referral

2. Investigation

3. Substantiation

4. Foster care

5. Adoption

Child WelfareChild Welfare

• Children of color enter foster care at a higher rate

• They are removed more often, rather than receiving in-home services.

• They stay in the system much longer.

• Less likely to reunify with families or be adopted from foster care

National Stats: Blocks for Youth (2005).

Child WelfareChild Welfare

In almost every state children of color

are over-represented in the child welfare

system:• African-American in 46 states• Native Americans in 24 states• Latino/Hispanic in 6 states• Occurs in 11 counties within Kentucky

Casey-CSSP Alliance on Racial Equity: An Overview Presentation (2/24/06)

Kentucky Statewide DataKentucky Statewide DataAfrican-Americans involved in theAfrican-Americans involved in the

Child Welfare SystemChild Welfare System

8%

13% 12%

17%14%

20%18%

21%

25%

20%

18%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

Census Figures2007 (est)

Referrals toDCBS

SubstantiatedAbuse/Neglect

O ut-of-HomeCare

Available forAdoption

Exit to Adoption

2006 2008

County Total # of Children in State Care

% of Black Children in State

Care

% of Black Children in County

Jefferson 592 51.7 18.9

Fayette 308 44.4 13.5

Christian 23 37.7 24

Graves 29 35.8 4.4

McCracken 46 32.6 10.9

Warren 82 28.8 8.6

Hardin 52 26.4 11.9

Boyle 17 26.2 9.7

Kenton 67 21.1 3.8

Daviess 32 16.7 4.3

Madison 15 10.3 4.4

Counties initially identified in late Counties initially identified in late areas with disproportionalityareas with disproportionality

Cabinet for Health and Family Services Data from 2006-2007

Kentucky’sKentucky’s Disparate TreatmentDisparate Treatment

• A case is opened more often for African American families.

• African American children spend more time in foster care, have more moves, and are 20% less likely to be reunified with parents.

• African American children more often have a goal of emancipation while White children have a goal of reunification.

• African American children cost an additional $5.50 per day. Annual costs for these placements are estimated to be $3 million annually.

Selected DisparitiesSelected Disparities

Source: Clinical Health Care Practice and Community Building: Addressing Racial Disparities in Healthy Child Development by Charles H. Bruner, Ph.D. and Edward L Schor, M.D.; Morehouse College of Medicine

Children in single-parent families by raceChildren in single-parent families by race (Percent) (Percent)

Source: Annie E. Casey Foundation 2009 KIDS COUNT Databook

KentuckyRace 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

Non-Hispanic White N.A. N.A. 27% 28% 28%

Black or African American

N.A. N.A. 67% 73% 73%

American Indian N.A. N.A. S S S

Asian and Pacific Islander

N.A. N.A. S S S

Hispanic or Latino N.A. N.A. S S S

Total 30% 30% 31% 33% 33%

Children living in families where no parent has full-time, year-round employment by race

(Percent)

Source: Annie E. Casey Foundation 2009 KIDS COUNT Databook

Kentucky

Race 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

Non-Hispanic White N.A. N.A. 36% 34% 36%

Black or African American

N.A. N.A. 55% 51% 53%

American Indian N.A. N.A. S S S

Asian and Pacific Islander

N.A. N.A. S S S

Hispanic or Latino N.A. N.A. S S S

Total 39% 38% 38% 37% 38%

Thinking PointsThinking Points

• Three separate NIH studies found that African-Americans are no more abusive of neglectful than any other racial group

• These same studies also showed that when you control for poverty, African-Americans are less abusive and neglectful than their White counterparts

• So why do we have such disparities?

Source: Synthesis of Research on Disproportionality in Child Welfare: An Update; Robert B. Hill, Ph.D., Senior Researcher, Westat

What can you do?What can you do?• Commit to equity and anti-

racist practices/policies• Learn more about

disproportionality• Collect and analyze data by

race to determine if your agency has disproportionality issues

• Review policies and procedures for unintended consequences

• Change practice• Evaluate practice changes

Recommended Reading and Recommended Reading and Viewing ListViewing List

• Courts Catalyzing Change http://www.ncjfcj.org/content/blogcategory/447/580/

• Casey Family Programshttp://www.casey.org/OurWork/Disproportionality/

• Race Matters Consortiumhttp://www.racemattersconsortium.org/index.htm

• People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond (delivers Undoing Racism Workshops)http://www.pisab.org/

• Race: The Power of An Illusion Video Serieshttp://www.pbs.org/race/000_General/000_00-Home.htm

• Alliance for Racial Equity in Child Welfarehttp://www.cssp.org/major_initiatives/racialEquity.html

Thank you for your time and Thank you for your time and attentionattention

Carol A. Taylor, MSWCo-Chair, Fayette Race Community and Child Welfare

University of Kentucky

College of Social Work

Comprehensive Family Services Director

Training Resource Center

Carol.taylor@uky.edu

Marion Gibson, MPACo-Chair, Fayette Race Community and Child Welfare

Kentucky State University

SKY Families Program Director

Marion.gibson@kysu.edu