Child Welfare in North Carolina: Ethnic and Racial Disproportionality and Disparity by D. F. Duncan...

Child Welfare in North Carolina: Ethnic and Racial Disproportionality and Disparity

by D. F. Duncan

UNC-CH School of Social WorkJune 10, 2009

Child Welfare in North Carolina: Ethnic and Racial Disproportionality and Disparity

The approach in this presentation is drawn from a similar presentation developed by Emily Putnam-Hornstein made by Barbara Needell from the Center for Social Services Research at the University of California at Berkeley

The data are drawn from the US Census Bureau and a set of longitudinal files maintained by researchers at UNC-CH School of Social Work

North Carolina:First Entries to Foster Care by Race

North Carolina:Foster Care Caseload by Race

North Carolina:Race and Path Through the Child Welfare System

Definitions

Overrepresentation: situations in which a number or quantity (such as children, in this case) is disproportionately high or low.1

1Chapin Hall Center for Children. (2008). “Racial and Ethnic Disparity and Disproportionality in Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice: A Compendium,” Chicago: Chapin Hall Center for Children at the University of Chicago.

Definitions Disproportionality: the state of being

disproportional. … disproportionality and over- and underrepresentation are used with regard to a reference population. If more than one group represents more than its share of the total, another group will necessarily account for less.1

Disparity: a comparison of one group (e.g, regarding disproportionality, services, outcomes) to another group.2

2Needell, Barbara. “Child Welfare in California: Ethnic/Racial Disproportionality and Disparity.”

North Carolina:Disparity Index for SFY 07-08

Black Disproportionality

39.49% 25.36% = 1.56

White Disproportionality

51.8% 68.96% = 0.75

Disparity Index

1.56 0.75 = 2.08

Issues with Census Data

Changes in the Number of Children in North Carolina Over Time

Composition of North Carolina’s Child Population by Race

Composition of North Carolina’s Child Population by Ethnicity

Issues With Census Data

The 2000 Census provided a count of each child by age, race, and ethnicity at the state and county level

The yearly estimates of population at the county level provide race and ethnicity but age is grouped 0-4, 5-9, 10-14, and 15-19.

There are tradeoffs in using these yearly estimates

North Carolina: Investigations per 1,000 by Age and Race

North Carolina: Substantiations per 1,000 by Age and Race

North Carolina: Entries to Foster Care per 1,000 by Age and Race

North Carolina: Children in Foster Care per 1,000 by Age and Race

North Carolina: Investigations, Substantiations, Entries, and In Care Rates per 1,000 by Age

North Carolina: Referrals, Substantiations, Entries, and In Care Rates per 1,000 by Age

North Carolina: Children in Foster Care per 1,000 by Age and Race

Black (10.45/1,000)

White (5.04/1,000)

0 to 4 Years

5 to 9 Years

10 to 14 Years

15 and Older

15.24

9.24

10.19

7.45

7.44

4.51

4.89

3.19

Rates per 1,000 Black Children

Rates per 1,000White Children

Disparity Index

10.455.04 = 2.07

North Carolina: Disparity Indices for Race and Ethnicity

National Data: Racial and Ethnic Disparity Indices

North Carolina: Exits From Care For 84 Months From Entry For All Children (2000-2001 Entry Cohort)

92%

72%

51%36%

25%13% 8% 5% 3% 2%

5%

17%

28%

36%

40%

43%44% 44% 44% 44%

2% 8% 13% 15% 16% 17% 18% 18% 18% 18%

8%14% 17% 19% 20% 20%

6%9% 10% 11% 11% 11% 11% 12%

2% 3% 4% 4%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

30 Days

180 Days

1 Year

1.5 Years

2 Years

3 Years

4 Years

5 Years

6 Years

7 Years

Still in Care Reunification Adopted Guardianship Emancipated Other

North Carolina: Exits From Care For 84 Months From Entry for White Children (2000-2001 Entry Cohort)

92%

70%

48%33%

23%12% 6% 4% 2% 1%

6%

19%

32%

39%

44%

46%47% 47% 47% 47%

2%8% 12% 15% 16% 16% 17% 17% 17% 17%

8%15% 18% 20% 20% 21%

6%8% 9% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10%

2% 3% 3% 4%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

30 Days

180 Days

1 Year

1.5 Years

2 Years

3 Years

4 Years

5 Years

6 Years

7 Years

Still in Care Reunification Adopted Guardianship Emancipated Other

North Carolina: Exits From Care For 84 Months From Entry for Black Children

92%

75%

56%

40%28%

16% 10% 6% 4% 3%

5%

13%

23%

30%

35%

39%40%

40% 40% 40%

3% 9% 14% 17% 18% 19% 20% 20% 20% 21%

7%13%

17% 19% 19% 20%

6%9%

11% 11% 12% 12% 12% 12%

3% 4% 4% 5%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

30 Days

180 Days

1 Year

1.5 Years

2 Years

3 Years

4 Years

5 Years

6 Years

7 Years

Still in Care Reunification Adopted Guardianship Emancipated Other

North Carolina: Percentage Remaining in Care for White and Black Children (2000-2001 Entry Cohort)

North Carolina: Percentage Reunified for White and Black Children (2000-2001 Entry Cohort)

North Carolina: Percentage Exiting to Adoption for White and Black Children (2000-2001 Entry Cohort)

Disparity Indices for Counties

Disparity Indices for Counties

Disparity Indices for Counties

Disparity Indices for Counties

Disparity Indices for Counties

Disparity Indices for Counties

Disparity in the current caseload can be due to many factors

It can reflect past instead of current practices

It also is due to difficulties in finding permanency for children who are in care

Disparity Indices for Counties

Recent studies (Drake et al., 2009; Jonson-Reid et al., 2009) suggest that poverty is a confounding factor in examining disproportionality

In future analysis we will explore the role of poverty

Child Welfare in North Carolina: Ethnic and Racial Disproportionality and Disparity

D. F. Duncandfduncan@email.unc.edu

919-962-7897C. Joy Stewart

jstewart@unc.edu919-962-6500

http://ssw.unc.edu/cw