Disproportionate placement means that children of color are
placed into the child welfare system when their white
counterparts in similar instances are not. The fact that often
these families do not have the resources to act on behalf of
their children increases the disparate or negative outcomes such
as longer stays and lower rates of family When there is a
recommendation that a child be placed into the child welfare
system, there are several factors that lead to that decision.
Foster children of color come primarily from families living in
poverty. Many times a child of color is placed into the system
not just because of maltreatment, but because of the underlying
biases of the decision makers. These families of color may be
socially, and economically disadvantaged, but those factors
should not influence decision of whether the children can safely
remain at home. A study performed by the National Incidence
Study of Child Abuse and Neglect, suggests that there are no
significant racial differences in the sub