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Inequities in Child Protective Services Contact Between Black and White Children

Margaret M C Thomas1, Jane Waldfogel2, Ovita F Williams2

  • 1Department of Social Welfare, 8783University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.

Child Maltreatment
|January 27, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Systemic racism drives disparities in child protective services (CPS) contact. Racialized poverty impacts Black families, while income protects White families, highlighting policy needs for equity.

Area of Science:

  • Social Sciences
  • Public Health
  • Sociology

Background:

  • Child protective services (CPS) contact rates are disproportionately higher for Black families compared to White families.
  • Systemic racism is a key factor contributing to these racial disparities in CPS involvement.
  • Racialized poverty, encompassing factors beyond income, may explain the mechanism behind these inequities.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between income poverty and CPS contact among Black and White families.
  • To examine the role of systemic racism and racialized poverty in CPS contact disparities.
  • To assess the impact of Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) policies on CPS contact.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study.
  • Employed logistic regression analyses to assess associations between variables.
  • Conducted separate analyses for Black and White families to understand differential impacts.

Main Results:

  • Income poverty significantly predicted CPS contact for White families, with higher incomes offering protection.
  • For Black families, income itself was not a significant predictor; instead, racialized family regulation and poverty consequences like poor health and depression were impactful.
  • Refundable state Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) policies showed a protective effect for Black families.
  • More expansive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs were associated with decreased CPS contact for both Black and White families.

Conclusions:

  • Systemic racism and racialized poverty are central causes of racial inequities in CPS contact.
  • Rethinking the role of CPS and emphasizing policy interventions addressing systemic issues are crucial.
  • Social welfare policies like EITC and TANF can mitigate CPS contact, particularly for vulnerable populations.

Keywords:
child protective servicespolicypovertysystemic racism

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