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Seeing Beyond our Own Time: A Celebration of African American Life and History

Seeing Beyond our Own Time: A Celebration of African American Life and History. A Look at Foster Care Ruth G. McRoy Davis. The Covenant with Black America by Tavis Smiley.

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Seeing Beyond our Own Time: A Celebration of African American Life and History

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  1. Seeing Beyond our Own Time: A Celebration of African American Life and History A Look at Foster Care Ruth G. McRoy Davis

  2. The Covenant with Black America by Tavis Smiley • Calls upon all parents, educators, preachers, social service providers, community leaders and policy-makers to act now and create a brighter future for our children.

  3. Health Care Education Justice Policing Affordable Neighborhoods Democracy Rural Roots Economic Prosperity Environmental Justice Digital Divide The Covenant addresses 10 Issues:

  4. Today we will address • Covenant XI • Children in Foster Care

  5. According to AFCARS estimates for Sept. 2005 • 513,000 children in the US foster care system • White, 41% • Black, Non-Hispanic 32% • Hispanic, 18% • AI/AN Non Hispanic 2% • Asian/PI NI Non-Hispanic 1% • Unknown 2% • Two or more races 3%

  6. Overrepresentation • If a particular racial/ethnic group of children is represented in foster care at a higher percentage than they are represented in the general population

  7. Disproportionality • A situation in which a particular racial/ethnic group of children is represented in foster care at a higher percentage than other racial/ethnic groups • (I.e. If 5% of all White children are in care, then 5% of African American, Hispanic etc.)

  8. U.S. Child Population under 18(% in care) • 61% White (41% in care) • 17% Hispanic/Latino (18% in care) • 15% African American (32% in care) • 3% Asian American (1% in care) • 1% American Indian/AN (2% in care)

  9. 92,344 California children in foster Care • California has the largest foster care population in the U.S. • More than the population of Davis (64,348) • Slightly less than the population of Roseville (98,359) and the population of Berkeley (102,004)

  10. Good News: • Number in California foster care has decreased by 8% from 2003 to 2005 • In 2000 there were 108,000 in foster care.

  11. Demographics of the 92,344 California children in Foster Care • 27% between 0 and 5 • 30% between 6 and 12 • 42% between 13 and 21 • Average number of months in care-- 38 months (30 months nationally) • 46% have experienced three or more foster care placements (42% nationally) • Majority of children come into care because of parental neglect

  12. Special Challenges for Youth • Experienced abuse and neglect • Physical and mental health problems • Developmental delays • Educational difficulties • Mild to severe psychological and behavioral difficulties • Multiple moves/losses • Sibling and other family connections • Concerns/Fears about adoption

  13. California’s foster children • 47,429 waiting to be reunified • 5% or 4,852 waiting to be adopted • Avg. time foster care children have been • waiting to be adopted-- 46 months (42 months nationally)

  14. AFRICAN AMERICAN CHILDREN IN CARE IN CALIFORNIA • African American children represent 6.7 % of the under 17 population. • But represent 29% of those in social services care • 23,436 children in care are African American • 32 OUT OF EVERY 1000 African American children in California are in foster care

  15. “Black kids more often taken from families by social workers” • Recent news headline • Santa Clara County—Black children represented only 2.4% of the population younger than 17 in the county, but accounted for 12.8 percent of children in the child welfare system in 2005, more than 7 times the rate of White children.

  16. Needell, Brookhart, & Lee (2003) • Needell, Brookhart, & Lee (2003) found that Black children in California are more likely than White or Hispanic children to be removed from their caretaker and placed in care, even when age, reason for maltreatment, neighborhood poverty are taken into account.

  17. County Data • Alameda County • 15% of child population is Black • 67% of children in care are Black • Contra Costa County • 11% of Child population is Black • 46% of children in care are Black • Solano County • 17% of child population is Black • 40% of children in care are Black

  18. Annually about 11% or 4,535 California children exit care at 18 or older • Another 7% (2,877) leave for other reasons • Including running away, transfer, or death

  19. Nationally, about 20,000 children age out of foster care with no place to go. • Former foster children are 22 times more likely to be homeless than peers and one-third end up poor.

  20. Child Welfare Decision Point Analysis • Identify points where change in representation occurs • Report/no report • Investigation/no investigation • Substantiation/no substantiation • Case closed/no services/in home services/out of home care (kin,foster) • Reunification/adoption/remain in care or age out

  21. Percent of African American vs. White Children: in population, victims, entering foster care, in foster care, and waiting for adoption Child Maltreatment 2002: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/publications/cm02/index.htm, p. 23 National Adoption and Foster Care Statistics: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/dis/afcars/publications/afcars.htm Estimates based on AFCARS data 3/04

  22. African American children in California • Are more likely than White or Latino children to be reported for abuse, and more likely to be placed in foster care, particularly if they are infants. They are less likely to be reunified and adopted than children of other races (Needell, et al, 2004).

  23. Possible Explanations • Disproportionate need • Societal discriminatory practices over which the child welfare systems have little or no control. • Discriminatory practices within the child welfare system (Needell, et al. 2003).

  24. Considerations in Disproportionality Poverty • Lindsey (1991) and Pelton (1989) • Parental income is the best predictor of child removal and placement • Majority of children in care from single parent, low-income households.

  25. Differential attributions and labeling bias • Physicians may be more likely to attribute injury to abuse in lower income homes.

  26. (Pelton, 1989, pp. 52-53) • The reason for placement is that the family, frequently due to poverty” does not have the resources to offset the impact of situational or personal problems which themselves are often caused by poverty, and the agencies have failed to provide the needed supports, such as baby sitting, homemaking, day care, financial assistance, and housing assistance.

  27. In California • 1 in 5 children lives in a household that earns less than the federal poverty level ($16,600 per year for a family of three). • 1 in 3 African American, Latino and Native American children, ages 5 and younger, lives in a very low-income family. • One in 12 White children lives in a very low income family.

  28. Neglect • Often product of poverty • Parents under scrutiny/more likely to be reported

  29. According to The State of Black California • Black poverty rate is 22.4% compared to the White poverty rate at 8%. • 33.9% of Black children live in two parent families as compared to 72% of White children. • Blacks higher in felony arrests, misdemeanor arrests, homicide rates for males and females; higher in school dropout rates

  30. The State of Black California: Racial Inequality • Blacks’ economic standing is a little over half that of Whites • Blacks’ housing quality, health index, education, criminal justice index • is about two-thirds that of Whites. • Only index in which Blacks scored higher is civic participation.

  31. Child Maltreatment Reporting AA families more likely to be reported for suspected child abuse and neglect, YET • NIS-1,NIS2,NIS3--estimates about incidence of child abuse and neglect reported NO differences in incidence of child abuse and neglect by racial group

  32. Parental Substance Abuse • Parental substance abuse reason for 42% of children who were victims of abuse and neglect • In 77% of these cases, alcohol was the problem substance, and cocaine in 23% • Alcohol and drug related cases more likely to result in foster care placements than other cases (DHHS, 1999) • Black women more likely to be reported for prenatal substance abuse and • more likely to have children removed

  33. Relationship between poverty and child welfare outcomes • Lower likelihood of reunification • Family does not have resources to offset situational or personal problems caused by poverty—homelessness, lack of child care, poor health, violent neighborhoods, substance involvement, involvement with criminal justice system. • Poor children less likely to be returned to their families and less likely to be adopted than children from higher income families.

  34. Relationship between race and child welfare outcomes • African Americans disproportionately poor • Disparate family preservation service delivery • Inequities in child maltreatment reporting, service provision, kinship care, family preservation, exit rates, length of care, placement stability and adoption (Courtney 1996, Barth, 1994) • Less likely to have plans for visitation (Olsen, 1982) • Enter care at younger ages (Kemp & Bodonyi, 2000)

  35. Differential Service Provision • Lack of culturally competent child protective service workers • Most have no training in service provision to African Americans, Hispanics and American Indians • Most lack training in risk assessments, child dev., parenting, etc.

  36. Disparities not Unique to Child Welfare • Also occur in • Special Education • Health • Mental Health • Criminal Justice

  37. What can be done? • Nationally • Within the State or County • Within the community • By individuals

  38. Rep. Rangel Started Inquiry • into the High Number of Black Children in Foster Care • Releases Data Showing Significant Over-Representationand Requests Investigation from the GAO

  39. The statistics tell us that too many African American children spend too much time in our foster care system.  We need answers to what might be causing this troubling over-representation, and then we need to take corrective action.  I am hopeful that an investigation by the GAO will start us down that path.  • In the meantime, there are clearly some immediate steps Congress can take to help all children in the child welfare system, such as increasing access to services that help at-risk families safely stay together or reunify. " 

  40. Select Committee on Foster Care-Karen Bass, Chair • Challenges and hurdles facing relative caregivers • Critical needs of teens in foster care and emancipation • Importance of the court and legal process

  41. Assembly Bill 672 • February 21, 2007 • Introduced by Assembly Member Beall • Will require the California Child Welfare Council to prepare a workplan and appoint a committee to develop a statewide vision and strategy for reducing the inappropriate disproportionate representation of children of color in California’s child welfare and foster care systems.

  42. Disparities not unique to California Studies recently completed in MN, Michigan, Texas Children’s Rights Law Suit in Tennessee

  43. The State of Black California: Racial Inequality • Blacks’ economic standing is a little over half that of Whites • Blacks’ housing quality, health index, education, criminal justice index • is about two-thirds that of Whites. • Only index in which Blacks scored higher is civic participation.

  44. Shattered Bonds: The Color of Child Welfare • By Dorothy Roberts • State disruption of families is one symptom of this institutionalized discrimination. It reflects the persistent gulf between the material welfare of Black and White children in America. The racial disparity in the child welfare system—even if related directly to economic inequality, ultimately results from racial injustice.

  45. Assess which political candidates are addressing these disparities.

  46. Need to assess what we can do to prevent child removals • Churches • Adopt a Family • Civic Organizations • Address issues of substance abuse • and other causes of neglect and abuse • One Stop shopping—Compton approach

  47. Reaching churches • Singleton and Roseman (2004) reported in their recent study of 51 Black ministers in Florida that 83% of the ministers had never included the topic of foster care or adoption in sermons and most had no experience with adoption or foster care. • We need to reach out to African American churches and ministers more in order to enlist support and family resources for children in the system.

  48. Become an Adoptive or Foster Parent or Recruit Families • 513,000 children in care • 114,000 children awaiting adoption (2005) • Average of 8.6 years old now • 36% are African American

  49. Need to look at experiences of youth in foster care Educational outcomes for youth in schools (Struggling children in struggling schools) Number of moves Services in care

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