The role of race, socioeconomic status, and System of Care services in placement decision-making

Sieracki, Jeff H.; Fuller, Anne K.; Leon, Scott C.; Bai, Grace Jhe; Bryant, Fred B.

doi:10.1016/j.childyouth.2014.12.013

Cited by 8 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…The findings of the present study are consistent with studies using similar methodologies that have found no evidence of racial/ethnic and class biases in CPS caseworkers' judgements and decisions (Stokes & Schmidt 2011;Sieracki et al 2015). However, evidence obtained from other studies (Rivaux et al 2008;Schram et al 2009;Enosh & Bayer-Topilsky 2015) has suggested that the relationship among race, income and CPS caseworkers' judgements and decisions is far from clear or simple.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 83%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Some of these studies have found that children represented in vignettes were more likely to be recommended by CPS caseworkers for sanctioning (Schram et al 2009) or removal (Rivaux et al 2008;Enosh & Bayer-Topilsky 2015) when they belonged to minority and low socio-economic groups. In contrast, other studies have not found an effect of the race or SES of the child and the family on CPS staff decisions about the severity of risk or service provision (Stokes & Schmidt 2011) or about admitting the child to a residential treatment centre vs. maintaining him or her in a community setting (Sieracki et al 2015).…”

mentioning

confidence: 85%

“…In contrast, other studies have not found an effect of the race or SES of the child and the family on CPS staff decisions about the severity of risk or service provision (Stokes & Schmidt ) or about admitting the child to a residential treatment centre vs. maintaining him or her in a community setting (Sieracki et al . ).…”

mentioning

confidence: 97%

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Racial/ethnic and socio‐economic biases in child maltreatment severity assessment in Spanish child protection services caseworkers

Arruabarrena

Paúl

Indias

et al. 2016

Child & Family Social Work

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Evidence from several countries has shown the over-representation of racial/ethnic minority groups in child protection services (CPS). The objective of the present study was to explore whether racial/ethnic and socio-economic biases influence Spanish CPS caseworkers' judgements of the severity of child maltreatment. Moreover, the study attempted to explore the influence on these judgements of the use of structured instruments and professional experience. Two case vignettes of child maltreatment were presented to 405 CPS caseworkers and 169 students of social work and psychology. Family ethnic origin and income were manipulated in the vignettes. The findings showed no statistical evidence of biases related to family ethnic origin or socio-economic status (SES) in Spanish CPS caseworkers' judgements of maltreatment severity. Biases related to family SES were found for students for the vignettes of physical abuse. CPS caseworkers and students who did not use a structured instrument to assess maltreatment severity tended to underestimate the severity for the vignettes of parental incapacity to control child/adolescent behaviour and to overestimate it for the vignettes of physical abuse. CPS caseworkers who used a structured instrument showed higher percentages of accuracy and inter-rater agreement, supporting the relevance of structured tools in reducing potential caseworkers' biases.Evidence suggests that racial/ethnic minority groups are over-represented in child protection services (CPS) and that they receive unequal treatment at different decision points (e.g. reporting, investigation and substantiation) and different services and resources compared with non-minority groups. In the USA, for example, data have consistently confirmed racial disproportionalities and disparities in CPS, particularly with regard to African-American children and families. Data have shown that compared with white families, black families are disproportionately reported and investigated for child maltreatment, over-represented in out-of-home care and moved through the system differently in terms of length and type of placement and services offered. Research has also found that the magnitude and type of disparity as well as the population for which the disparities exist vary across states, counties, population densities and neighbourhoods (Hill 2006;Fluke et al. 2011). In Canada, Aboriginal children have been found to be grossly over-represented in different phases of CPS intervention (reporting, substantiation and length of intervention) and more frequently placed in out-ofhome care (Walmsley 2005;Foster 2007), and Aboriginal, black and Latino children have been found more likely to be involved in child maltreatment investigations than white children (Lavergne et al. 2008). In Australia, indigenous children have been found more likely to be reported, investigated and substantiated for maltreatment, to receive court orders and to enter out-of-home placements than non-indigenous children (Delfabbro et al. 2010;Fallon et al. 2013). In Engla...

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 83%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

mentioning

confidence: 85%

mentioning

confidence: 97%

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Racial/ethnic and socio‐economic biases in child maltreatment severity assessment in Spanish child protection services caseworkers

Arruabarrena

Paúl

Indias

et al. 2016

Child & Family Social Work

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“…Some studies have focused on the social worker's role in placement decisions and on the influence of some of his/her characteristics. Professionally, it appears that the more experienced social workers are less inclined to remove the child from his/her family (Sieracki et al, 2015). A study by Britner and Mossler (2002) shows that the years of experience, as well as the professional affiliation, can influence the elements or type of information taken into consideration by the social workers when deciding whether to remove the child.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Decision-making in foster care: A view on the dynamic and collective nature of the process

Châteauneuf

Poirier

Pagé

2020

Journal of Social Work

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Summary Placement in a foster family by child welfare services is a crucial decision in the trajectory of a child. Nevertheless, the strategies and procedures underlying the decision to remove a child from his/her family for placement in foster care remain little studied. Based on 39 semi-directed individual interviews with social workers from child welfare services, the current study aims at highlighting how social workers come to the decision to remove a child from parental care, and how they choose a foster family. Findings The thematic analysis of the qualitative data collected reveals that four main components were raised by social workers to explain how they make their decisions regarding placement and what are the considerations associated with this process: (1) Professional consensus and collaboration, (2) Clinical and legal guidelines, (3) Risk assessment and clinical judgment, and (4) Personality and values of the social worker. The results of this study show that decisions surrounding the removal of a child from his/her family and the choice of a foster family are the result of multiples factors and strategies involving the social worker and other collaborating professionals, as well as their legal and administrative context. Application The findings suggest that additional efforts could be made in child protection organizations and agencies in order to develop supportive measures that take into account the collective and interactional aspect of the decision-making process regarding placement in foster care.

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Service Intensity/Level of Care Determination in a Child Welfare Population

et al. 2019

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The role of race, socioeconomic status, and System of Care services in placement decision-making

Cited by 8 publications

References 34 publications

Racial/ethnic and socio‐economic biases in child maltreatment severity assessment in Spanish child protection services caseworkers

Racial/ethnic and socio‐economic biases in child maltreatment severity assessment in Spanish child protection services caseworkers

Decision-making in foster care: A view on the dynamic and collective nature of the process

Service Intensity/Level of Care Determination in a Child Welfare Population

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