The path to adoption for children of color.
OBJECTIVE
This article focuses on the path to adoption for children involved in the public child welfare system.


METHODS
Descriptive and event history analyses were conducted of 1,550 children who had been removed from their homes and placed in out of home care in the child welfare system in Kansas and have adoption as a goal.


RESULTS
African American children consistently took longer to reach significant milestones, including adoption placement and finalization.


CONCLUSIONS
African American children are over-represented throughout the progression from substantiated abuse to adoption. Future research in other states should focus on whether this trend is unique to Kansas or applicable in other states. Additionally, efforts should be devoted to investigating the social, psychological, cultural, and systemic factors contributing to this differential treatment. Finally, there is a dire need to develop and evaluate interventions targeted at meeting the specialized needs of African American children in this system.
Kapp
S A
SA
School of Social Welfare, The University of Kansas, Lawrence 66045-2510, USA.
McDonald
T P
TP
Diamond
K L
KL
D000300:Adoption / Q000208:ethnology*; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000208:ethnology*; D002669:Child Welfare / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D005581:Foster Home Care; D006801:Humans; D007615:Kansas / Q000453:epidemiology; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D011203:Poverty; D011822:Race Relations; D013997:Time Factors; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*