Prof. Scott & Colleagues Recommend Anti-Racist Changes to the Child Welfare System
The child welfare system (CWS) has been criticized for discriminating against children and families of color. While research often looks at individual or community issues, it often has not addressed CWS’s historical or systemic problems.
A recent article by Profs. Judith Scott at BU School of Social Work (BUSSW), Bridget Cho at University of South Carolina Aiken, and Julia Fleckman at Tulane University School of Public Health examines the history of the child welfare system and its current issues. The article, “Anti-Black Racism Within Child Welfare Services: Past, Present, and Future,” suggests that if the system provides more support for parents, especially for families of color, it can help alleviate some of the CWS’s problems.
Address Inequalities First
The authors state that while the CWS “appears ‘race neutral,’ structural racism within these institutions results in actions and policies that promote racial inequity and discrimination.” For instance, Black families are disproportionately separated from children due to:
- Discriminating against certain familial structures
- Punishing parents facing intimate partner violence
- Misattributing abuse or neglect in cases of poverty
One way to separate severe abuse from poverty-related cases is by addressing families’ basic needs. The authors propose that this strategy “could both shrink the size and scope of the system, while also freeing up resources that allow the system to protect children experiencing severe abuse and neglect.”
The authors propose that research can help determine what communities need, and what the CWS can do to provide better care for families. Many grassroots organizations have also proposed that welfare reforms and treatment programs can reduce the need for CWS intervention. Advancing programs like paid family and medical leave and universal child allowance, increasing access and availability to quality mental health and substance use treatments, and addressing racial income and wealth gaps due to structural racism can all support families in poverty.
Abolish Mandated Reporting
In particular, the authors call for abolishing the mandated report system. Studies have found that most allegations from mandated reports are unsubstantiated and “often initiate a course of state intervention that results in irreparable harm to children and families.” Therefore, removing the mandated reporting system may reduce coercive and invasive CWS interventions.
Community-Led Reform & Respect for Family Units
Reforming the CWS to be more community-led through support programs for parents can positively change society, too. “This sense of ‘community ownership’ empowers individuals to have the power and responsibility to protect vulnerable children,” say the authors.
Part of community ownership also includes recognizing family units as entities rather than a sum of parts. “Within the realm of child welfare, we ought to consider not only the rights of the child and the parent but also the rights of the family,” the authors explain. “Operating from the assumption that the family unit has a right to exist supports efforts to enhance services that enable adequate caregiving.” Framing CWS in the context of family units will also deter authorities from separating families unnecessarily.
Next Steps
Research into community-based programs showed positive results in parental well-being and family support. However, a lack of resources may hinder further research into culturally relevant and better quality interventions. By shifting existing resources from invasive interventions to more supportive programs, the CWS can address their systemic issues and uplift communities.