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Explaining the disparity in placement instability among African-American and white children in child welfare: A Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition

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  • Foster, E. Michael
  • Hillemeier, Marianne M.
  • Bai, Yu

Abstract

African-American children in the child welfare system are at disproportionate risk of adverse experiences including placement instability. This article compares placement instability among African-American and white children in the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being and identifies mechanisms underlying racial disparities using a Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition. The type of initial out-of-home placements contributes significantly to the racial gap in placement instability. However a large amount of racial disparity remains unexplained. Additional factors, not captured by these analyses, apparently explain African-American's increased risk of placement instability. Predictors of placement instability differ between racial groups. Among African-Americans, older age, initial placement in a setting other than kinship care, and having a higher externalizing CBCL score at baseline are associated with greater instability. Among white children, however, only initial placement in a foster care setting predicted placement instability.

Suggested Citation

  • Foster, E. Michael & Hillemeier, Marianne M. & Bai, Yu, 2011. "Explaining the disparity in placement instability among African-American and white children in child welfare: A Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(1), pages 118-125, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:33:y:2011:i:1:p:118-125
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    2. Boatswain-Kyte, Alicia & Esposito, Tonino & Trocmé, Nico & Boatswain-Kyte, Alicia, 2020. "A longitudinal jurisdictional study of Black children reported to child protection services in Quebec, Canada," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).
    3. Cénat, Jude Mary & McIntee, Sara-Emilie & Mukunzi, Joana N. & Noorishad, Pari-Gole, 2021. "Overrepresentation of Black children in the child welfare system: A systematic review to understand and better act," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    4. Godoy, Sarah & Kainz, Kirsten & Brevard, Kanisha & Keyes, Oprah, 2022. "A conceptual model to guide collaborative reflective practice and values-driven child welfare decision-making," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 143(C).
    5. Hsiu-Fen Lin & Judy L. Postmus & Hongwei Hu & Amanda M. Stylianou, 2023. "IPV Experiences and Financial Strain Over Time: Insights from the Blinder-Oaxaca Decomposition Analysis," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 44(2), pages 434-446, June.
    6. Meghaan R. Lurtz & Derek T. Tharp & Katherine S. Mielitz & Michael Kitces & D. Allen Ammerman, 2020. "Decomposing the Gender Divorce Gap Among Personal Financial Planners," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 41(1), pages 19-36, March.
    7. Barbara Fallon & Joanne Filippelli & Tara Black & Nico Trocmé & Tonino Esposito, 2017. "How Can Data Drive Policy and Practice in Child Welfare? Making the Link in Canada," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-15, October.
    8. Marisetty, Vijaya Bhaskar & Prasad, Salu, 2022. "On the side effects of mandatory gender diversity laws in corporate boards," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    9. Neal, Darlene, 2017. "Academic resilience and caring adults: The experiences of former foster youth," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 242-248.
    10. Boyd, Reiko, 2014. "African American disproportionality and disparity in child welfare: Toward a comprehensive conceptual framework," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 15-27.

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