Research shows that children of color are no more likely to be abused or neglected by their parents, yet they account for 60% of America's 513,000 children in foster care. That’s a far higher percentage than their representation in the population. Children of color also tend to have worse outcomes than their Caucasian peers. This overrepresentation and disparity in outcomes is called disproportionality.
For example, according to a recent report issued by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), African-American children across the nation were more than twice as likely to enter foster care compared with White children in 2004, and African American children remained in foster care about 9 months longer.
What’s behind disproportionality? What does it mean for children and families? What is being done to address it?
As indicated in the GAO Report: “Researchers and child welfare administrators stressed that no single strategy was sufficient to fully address disproportionality. Some strategies states reported on have the potential to reduce bias or improve decision making. Other strategies are intended to improve access to support services for parents, and still others could increase the availability of permanent homes for children waiting in foster care.”
The Thought Leader Forum was created to promote awareness about these and many other questions raised by disproportionality. We invite you to explore this section, which features expert opinions, recommendations and informative resources about the issue. And if you need information -- from a basic definition of disproportionality to detailed reports on best practices to mitigate it -- explore the Disproportionality Facts and Resources page.
Hear Dr. Robert Hill Senior Researcher, Westat, discuss findings from his recent review of disproportionality research.
Watch Dr. David Sanders and Michael Piraino discuss how to ensure better outcomes for youth in care.
Listen to Ralph Bayard, Senior Director for Systems Improvement – Disproportionality, Casey Family Programs, discuss the origins of and some solutions for disproportionality.
Read recollections and reflections on disproportionality by Julia Charles, an alumna of Foster Care.
- Watch Mary Huyser, a Native American child welfare expert, discuss the overrepresentation of Native American children in foster care.
- Listen to Ray Torres, executive director of Casey Family Services, explores the impact of disproportionality on Hispanic foster children.
- Remedies in Texas, a broad coalition of Texans is working to reduce, and ultimately prevent, the disproportionate representation of, and disparate outcomes for, African-American children in the Texas child welfare system.