How are Black Foster Youth Faring in California’s Child Welfare System?

Written by: Stacy Shwartz Olagundoye & Melissa Connelly

Racial disparities persist in California’s Child Welfare System. Black and African American youth in California’s foster care are overrepresented (21%) when compared to California’s 2022 total population of Black youth (5%)^[1]. This trend persists across the United States, where 22% of the total youth in foster care were Black or African American, yet Black children in 2022 were only 14% of the population^[2]. The impact of poverty on Child Welfare System involvement for California’s Black children is similarly dire. When compared to White children in poverty, disparities persisted for Black children, particularly for Child Welfare System entries and in care rates^[3].

There is, however, evidence of some progress for Black and African American youth in care in California. Over the last two decades, the rate for Black children in foster care (compared to total Black children in California) decreased by a steep 63%^[4], although this decline has been attributed to policy and practice changes that focused upon increasing system exits from care, as opposed to reducing entries^[5]. While this trend is promising, there is still need for identifying policy levers that help to address disproportionalities and disparities at the “front-end” of the system^[6], meaning “all policies and decision points prior to and including a social worker’s decision to remove a child and place them into foster care” (Petek, 2024). In addition to the existing practice of supporting the needs of children and families in later stages of the system, where disparities are most present, placing policy emphasis upon front-end Child Welfare System involvement could help to provide needed preventative supports to help curtail the growing trend of system involvement for Black and African American children in California.

CFPIC is committed to providing culturally-responsive guidance to California’s Child Welfare system that addresses this disparity gap of Black and African American youth. We support implementation and use of the California Child Welfare Core Practice Model (CPM) which includes Prevention-related leadership and practice behaviors and thoroughly addresses issues of race, equity, diversity, inclusion (REDI) and Tribal Sovereignty. We partner with the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) and prevention teams across the states to build and sustain the Family First Prevention Services (FFPS) Advisory Structure to achieve California’s vision of community-based services to support family and child well-being. We support the Linkages work happening in 42 California counties to help families access concrete supports in recognition that addressing disproportionate rates of poverty experienced by Black and African American families can reduce the likelihood of future involvement in the Child Welfare System. The FFPS Advisory Structure, our work with California’s Citizen Review Panels, the Preventing and Addressing Child Trafficking (PACT) Program, Youth Engagement Project (YEP), and our Linkages Program all prioritize a commitment to partnering with people with lived experience to ensure those most impacted by California’s Child Welfare System have opportunities to lead local, regional, and statewide efforts in Child Welfare System improvements.

CFPIC works with public Human Service agencies and their partners to enhance their capacity to pursue transformative change. We will continue to gather and voice statewide recommendations and assist with implementing policy and practice guidance for counties that both address preventive front-end efforts, as well as support the needs of children and families currently involved in the Child Welfare System.

1. [1] Legislative Analyst’s Office. (2022, March 9). Initial Analysis and Key Questions: Racial Disproportionalities and Disparities in California’s Child Welfare System. Sacramento, CA. Retrieved from chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https:/lao.ca.gov/handouts/socservices/2022/CWS-Analysis-Questions-030922.pdf

   [2] U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Children’s Bureau. (2021). Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System.Washing, D.C. Retrieved from chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://acf.gov/sites/default/files/documents/cb/afcars-report-29.pdf

   [3] California Child Welfare Indicators Project (2024, Q3). Disproportionality and Disparity in California Child Welfare Systems. Berkeley, CA. Retrieved from https://ccwip.berkeley.edu/childwelfare/static/DispIndFiles/r/rts/l

   [4] California Child Welfare Indicators Project (2024, Q3). In Care Rates Report by Ethnic Group. Berkeley, CA. Retrieved from https://ccwip.berkeley.edu/childwelfare/reports/InCareRates/MTSG/r/rts/l

   [5] Petek, G. (2024, April). California’s Child Welfare System: Addressing Disproportionalities and Disparities. Sacramento, CA. Retrieved from chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://lao.ca.gov/reports/2024/4897/disproportionalities-disparities-child-welfare-042424.pdf

   [6] Petek, G. (2024, April). California’s Child Welfare System: Addressing Disproportionalities and Disparities. Sacramento, CA. Retrieved from chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://lao.ca.gov/reports/2024/4897/disproportionalities-disparities-child-welfare-042424.pdf