Uplifting African-American foster youth

 

 

Each year during Black History Month we reflect on the contributions African Americans are making to our great country.  It’s become customary this month be used to galvanize African Americans around the issues disproportionately impacting our community.

African-Americans have always been a strong and resilient people – so I have no doubt that despite the numerous challenges facing our community today, we can also take on another that is more than deserving of our time during this month of reflection and mobilization.

The disproportionate number of African American’s in foster care must remain in our conscience during Black History Month, and the many more months to come until these disparities are eradicated.

Studies show children of color enter foster care at disproportional rates than their share of the general population.  The Pew Commission on Children in Foster Care once summarized the state of African American children in the system as facing “the gravest disparities.” In 2011, black children made up 14 percent of all children but accounted for 27 percent of foster children.

Almost a decade ago, the disparity was even greater with only 15 percent of the child population being black, yet African-Americans made up 38 percent of the foster care population.

Once in foster care African-American children remain in the system on average far longer than Caucasian children, lagging behind in key indicators such as maintaining children in their homes, number of placements with adoptive parents and reunifications with their biological families.  These disproportionalities have been described as a “chronic crisis” and it’s hard to come to any other conclusion knowing what is waiting for foster youth who do not get the proper support that all children need.

 

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