title: Children ever in care: an examination of cumulative disproportionality.
abstract: Most studies of ethnic disproportionality in child welfare examine data in one of two ways: a point in time approach or an entry cohort approach. While each provides insight into disproportionality, neither gives a full picture of the differences among ethnic groups in the experience of the child welfare system over time. This study uses longitudinal administrative child welfare data to examine ethnic disproportionality in involvement with the child welfare system during the first seven years of life at three levels of contact: (1) initial referrals, (2) substantiated referrals, and (3) first entries. Findings suggest the experience of African American families, and probably Native American families, with the child welfare system is much different from other families.
authors.affiliation: Center for Social Services Research, School of Social Welfare, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720-7400, USA.
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Magruder
authors.forename: Terry V
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: Shaw
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001213:Asian / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002140:California; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002655:Child Custody / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002669:Child Welfare / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005581:Foster Home Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007198:Indians, North American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D015993:Life Tables; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D011287:Prejudice; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data