Black Administrators in Child Welfare Annual Conference Addresses Disproportionality

Disproportionality in child welfare occurs when a group is overrepresented in the system as compared to their proportion in the population. For example, Black children are 31 percent of the child welfare population but only 14.7 percent of the children in the United States. Latino children are 20 percent of the child welfare population but only 16.9 percent of the U.S. child population. Native American children are 2 percent of the child welfare population but only 0.9 percent of the children in the United States.

The recent 2010 Annual Black Administrators in Child Welfare Conference, “The Power of Change: Reducing Disproportionality,” in Chicago focused on this important issue.  Child welfare administrators from across the country met to talk about improving the child welfare system’s response to the needs of children of color and their families. Workshops highlighted innovative programs that incorporate a cultural lens into the development and improvement of policies and services that serve families in the child welfare system. There was a special emphasis on child welfare advocates and professionals working across professional lines as a way to identify solutions that reduce disproportionality. States shared promising practices that incorporate input from all stakeholders including agencies, judges, parents, police and schools.

Voices supports the work of any organization that seeks to increase equality across all children regardless of race or ethnicity.  The messages and information obtained from the conference will serve to inform our continued child welfare advocacy efforts.  You can learn more about this organization and how you can get involved in reducing disproportionality at the Black Administrators in Child Welfare Website.