African American Disproportionality Within CPS and Disparate Access to Support Services: Review and Critical Analysis of the Literature

Abstract

This critical analysis of the literature examines the racial disproportionality of African American children in the U.S. child welfare and foster care systems, and disparate access to Child Protective Services (CPS) referred support services. At each critical decision point within child welfare and foster care services, African American children are disproportionately represented and Black children and families subject to disparate access to employment, housing, mental health assessment and treatment. Competing data regarding non-findings of racial disproportionality in CPS and foster care and disparate treatment among African American families is presented and examined.

Keywords:

• Child Protective Services
• child welfare
• foster care
• African American disproportionality
• racial disparity in CPS
• CPS support services