National studies consistently show that neglect and abuse—the main preconditions to a child being placed in foster care—occur at the same rate among children of color as they do among white children.
Children of color account for 42 percent of the U.S. child population yet make up 57 percent of all children in foster care. This overrepresentation and disparate treatment of children of color in the foster care system is referred to as disproportionality.
It is an indicator that the child welfare system is not functioning fairly or equitably.
This two-page policy brief presents the facts about disproportionality, and offers promising practices and recommendations to help reduce racial disparities in child welfare.