Black History Month For February, we bring attention to both the challenges Black families face in child welfare, as well as their strength and resilience. Embrella has compiled a list of ways foster parents c an help their African American foster children celebrate #BlackHistoryMonth.
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Similar to national racial disproportionality estimates,2
i n Florida, African American or Black children account for 29% of youth in out-of-home care,
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29%
despite representing approximately 20% of its child population.4
20%
Disproportionality and disparities have been linked to factors such as
poverty; individual and systemic racial bias and discrimination; systemic factors, such as lack of resources for families of color; and community or neighborhood risk.
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Policy strategies to reduce racial disproportionality and disparities include:7
Continual data analyses
More support for kinship placements
Multi-level workforce education & training
Family-focused & strengths-based interventions
Identification of olicies & practices p
Foster care recruitment
that contribute to disproportionality
that is comunity-specific and meets the needs of the children
African American families have many strengths, which can include:8
Strong religious/spiritual commitments
Solid kinship connections
Flexibility of family roles
Emphasis on achievement
Researchers found that kinship caregivers of resilient African American y outh reported having the support
of extended family members.
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Institute Affiliates and Staff We have several staff and affiliates who do work around racial disparities and equity. Learn more about their work in our affiliate directory:
FICW.FSU.EDU/AFFILIATES Fabio Naranjo, Ph.D., MSW
Jessica Pryce, Ph.D., MSW
Melissa Murphy, LCSW
Yolanda Machado-Escudero, Ph.D., MSW
Katie Berry, Ph.D., MSW
Anna Yelick, Ph.D., MSW
BARRY UNIVERSITY
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH FLORIDA
FLORIDA INSTITUTE FOR CHILD WELFARE FLORIDA INSTITUTE FOR CHILD WELFARE
FLORIDA INSTITUTE FOR CHILD WELFARE
FLORIDA INSTITUTE FOR CHILD WELFARE
Institute Spotlight This year, the Institute is funding a mixed methods study of the
Authentic Family Engagement and Strengthening (AFES) approach, a flexible, multi-faceted child welfare approach that aims to address the needs of Black families impacted by child welfare services and reduce removals of Black children from their homes following a maltreatment investigation. In this study, Co-principal investigators and Institute affiliates,
Drs. Morgan Cooley and Marianna Colvin (Florida Atlantic University), are collaborating with colleagues Dr. Vaughn Crichlow and Corey Best to explore child welfare workers’ perceptions of racial justice, their racial justice values, and how that impacts their work. Those findings will inform the development of a training curriculum and coaching guide to help workers engage in self-reflection around racial discrimination and systemic racism; reducing discrimination in their work with families; prioritizing relationships; and empowering Black families in the system.
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Embrella. (2018). Help your African American foster child celebrate Black History Month. Retrieved January 27, 2020 from http://foster-adoptive-kinship-family-services-nj.org/help-your-african-american-foster-child-celebrate-blackhistory-month Child Welfare Information Gateway. (2016). Racial disproportionality and disparity in child welfare. Retrieved from https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubpdfs/racial_disproportionality.pdf Florida Department of Children and Families. (2022). Annual trend—Percent of children by child population and child welfare event: Statewide, SFY 2020-2021. Retrieved January 31, 2022 from https://www.myflfamilies.com/service-programs/child-welfare/dashboard The Annie E. Casey Foundation Kids Count Data Center. (2021). Child population by race in Florida. Retrieved January 31, 2022 from h ttps://datacenter.kidscount.org/data/tables/103-child-population-by-race#detailed/2/11/ false/574/67/423,424 Boyd, R. (2014). African American disproportionality and disparity in child welfare: Toward a comprehensive conceptual framework. Children & Youth Services Review, 37, 15-27. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2013.11.013 U.S. Government Accountability Office. (2007). African American children in foster care: Additional HHS assistance needed to help states reduce the proportion in care (GAO-07-816). Retrieved from https://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-07-816 Alliance for Racial Equity in Child Welfare. (2009). Policy actions to reduce racial disproportionality and disparities in child welfare: A scan of eleven states. Retrieved January 27, 2020 from the N ational Child Welfare Workforce Institute Website: https://ncwwi.org/files/PolicyActionstoReduceRacialDisproportionalityandDisparitiesinChildWelfare.pdf In R. B. Hill (1999) as cited by AdoptUsKids. (n.d.). Working with African American adoptive, foster and kinship families. Retrieved January 27, 2020 from the Florida Center for Child Welfare website: http://centerforchildwelfare.org/ kb/cultcomp/Working-With-African-American-Families.pdf Johnson-Garner, M. Y., & Meyers, S. A. (2003). What factors contribute to the resilience of African American children within kinship care? Child & Youth Care Forum, 32(5), 255-269. AdoptUsKids. (n.d.). Working with African American adoptive, foster and kinship families. Retrieved January 27, 2020 from the Florida Center for Child Welfare website: h ttp://centerforchildwelfare.org/kb/cultcomp/Working-WithAfrican-American-Families.pdf
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