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New methodology: Measuring racial or ethnic disparities in child welfare

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  • Rolock, Nancy

Abstract

Understanding the disparate treatment of African American children in the child welfare system requires consideration of the dynamics at a community level and the state level. Looking across a state allows one to target policies and practices to areas within the state that are most in need. This paper argues for a new method of assessing disparate treatment in child welfare that takes into consideration the racial or ethnic makeup of the community in conjunction with the racial or ethnic makeup across the state. This paper uses decision based enumeration which helps to pinpoint decisions where disparities are the greatest, and helps target decisions that most impact disparate treatment. This paper utilizes a methodology that is both accessible to state and county child welfare administrators and utilizes data that is readily available to child welfare policy makers and administrators. Using data from Illinois to illustrate this methodology, this paper highlights the regions within the state where limited resources may be targeted to address disproportionate representation and disparate treatment in Illinois' child welfare system.

Suggested Citation

  • Rolock, Nancy, 2011. "New methodology: Measuring racial or ethnic disparities in child welfare," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(9), pages 1531-1537, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:33:y:2011:i:9:p:1531-1537
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jonson-Reid, Melissa & Drake, Brett & Kohl, Patricia L., 2009. "Is the overrepresentation of the poor in child welfare caseloads due to bias or need?," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(3), pages 422-427, March.
    2. Lu, Yuhwa Eva & Landsverk, John & Ellis-Macleod, Elissa & Newton, Rae & Ganger, William & Johnson, Ivory, 2004. "Race, ethnicity, and case outcomes in child protective services," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 26(5), pages 447-461, May.
    3. Drake, Brett & Lee, Sang Moo & Jonson-Reid, Melissa, 2009. "Race and child maltreatment reporting: Are Blacks overrepresented?," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(3), pages 309-316, March.
    4. Fluke, John D. & Yuan, Ying-Ying T. & Hedderson, John & Curtis, Patrick A., 2003. "Disproportionate representation of race and ethnicity in child maltreatment: investigation and victimization," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 25(5-6), pages 359-373.
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    2. Bussey, Marian & Lucero, Nancy M., 2013. "Re-examining child welfare's response to ICWA: Collaborating with community-based agencies to reduce disparities for American Indian/Alaska Native children," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 35(3), pages 394-401.
    3. Bywaters, Paul & Brady, Geraldine & Sparks, Tim & Bos, Elizabeth & Bunting, Lisa & Daniel, Brigid & Featherstone, Brid & Morris, Kate & Scourfield, Jonathan, 2015. "Exploring inequities in child welfare and child protection services: Explaining the ‘inverse intervention law’," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 98-105.
    4. Boyd, Reiko, 2014. "African American disproportionality and disparity in child welfare: Toward a comprehensive conceptual framework," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 15-27.
    5. Ahn, Haksoon & Xu, Yanfeng & Williams, Kimberly A. & Parks-Bourn, Kimberly & Williams, Syreeta & Conway, Denise, 2022. "Family team decision meeting and child welfare service disparities: The influence of race and poverty," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 143(C).
    6. Garcia, Antonio R. & Palinkas, Lawrence A. & Snowden, Lonnie & Landsverk, John, 2013. "Looking beneath and in-between the hidden surfaces: a critical review of defining, measuring and contextualizing mental health service disparities in the child welfare system," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 35(10), pages 1727-1733.

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