For February, we bring attention to both the challenges Black families face in child welfare, as well as their strength and resilience. Embrella has compiled a list of ways foster parents

can help their African American foster children celebrate #BlackHistoryMonth.1

FACTS & FIGURES

INSTITUTE AFFILIATESWe have several affiliates who do work around disparities and intersectionality.

Learn more about their work in our affiliate directory: FICW.FSU.EDU/AFFILIATES

Riaan Van Zyl, Ph.D.UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

Martie Gillen, Ph.D., MBA UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

Rene’ Ledford, MSW, LCSW, BCBACHILDREN’S HOME SOCIETY OF FLORIDA

Gihan Omar, Psy.D.CITRUS HEALTH

1 Embrella. (2018). Help your African American foster child celebrate Black History Month. Retrieved January 27, 2020 from http://foster-adoptive-kinship-family-services-nj.org/help-your-african-american-foster-child-celebrate-black-history-month2 Child Welfare Information Gateway. (2016). Racial disproportionality and disparity in child welfare. Retrieved from https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubpdfs/racial_disproportionality.pdf 3 Florida Department of Children and Families. (2020). Children & young adults in out-of-home care – Statewide. Retrieved January 28, 2020 from https://www.myflfamilies.com/programs/childwelfare/dashboard/c-in-ooh.shtml 4 The Annie E. Casey Foundation Kids Count Data Center. (2019). Child population by race in Florida. Retrieved January 28, 2020 from https://datacenter.kidscount.org/data/tables/103-child-population-by-race#detailed/2/11/false/37,871,870,573,869,36,868,867,133,38/67/423,424 5 Boyd, R. (2014). African American disproportionality and disparity in child welfare: Toward a comprehensive conceptual framework. Children & Youth Services Review, 37, 15-27. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2013.11.0136 U.S. Government Accountability Office. (2007). African American children in foster care: Additional HHS assistance needed to help states reduce the proportion in care (GAO-07-816). Retrieved from https://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-07-816 7 Alliance for Racial Equity in Child Welfare. (2009). Policy actions to reduce racial disproportionality and disparities in child welfare: A scan of eleven states. Retrieved January 27, 2020 from the National Child Welfare Workforce Institute Website: https://ncwwi.org/files/PolicyActionstoReduceRacialDisproportionalityandDisparitiesinChildWelfare.pdf 8 In R. B. Hill (1999) as cited by AdoptUsKids. (n.d.). Working with African American adoptive, foster and kinship families. Retrieved January 27, 2020 from the Florida Center for Child Welfare website: http://centerforchildwelfare.org/kb/cultcomp/Working-With-African-American-Families.pdf9 Johnson-Garner, M. Y., & Meyers, S. A. (2003). What factors contribute to the resilience of African American children within kinship care? Child & Youth Care Forum, 32(5), 255-269.10 AdoptUsKids. (n.d.). Working with African American adoptive, foster and kinship families. Retrieved January 27, 2020 from the Florida Center for Child Welfare website: http://centerforchildwelfare.org/kb/cultcomp/Working-With-African-American-Families.pdf

Follow the Florida Institute for Child Welfare @FSUChildWelfare

The Institute and the Florida Office of Early Learning have partnered to provide equity training to the 30 Early Learning Coalitions across the state. Funded through the Preschool Development Grant, the Racial Equity Learning Exchange (RELE) focuses on using an equity lens to explore the historical foundations of racial inequities, implicit and explicit bias, culturally responsive practices, and policy decision-making. The training series is being provided to regional Coalition leadership staff, lead trainers and coaches, Office of Early Learning staff, and selected partners. Trainings are organized by the Institute Training Coordinator, Marthea Pitts, and facilitated by Khatib Waheed, a national leader in racial equity training.

INSTITUTE SPOTLIGHT

Similar to national racial disproportionality estimates,2 in Florida, African American or Black children

account for 30% of youth in out-of-home care,3 despite representing approximately 16% of its child population.4

Disproportionality and disparities have been linked to factors such as poverty; individual and systemic racial bias and discrimination; systemic factors, such as lack of resources for families of color;

and community or neighborhood risk.2,5,6

Policy strategies to reduce racial disproportionality and disparities include:7

Terry Rhodes, D.MinTHE OUNCE OF PREVENTION FUND OF FLORIDA

30%

16%

More support for kinship placements

Foster care recruitment that is comunity-specific and

meets the needs of the children

Family-focused & strengths-based

interventions

Continual data analyses

Identification of policies & practices

that contribute to disproportionality

Multi-level workforce education & training

African American families have many strengths, which can include:8

Solid kinshipconnections

Strong religious/spiritual

commitmentsFlexibility of family roles

Emphasis on achievement

Researchers found that kinship caregivers of resilient African American youth reported having the support of extended family members.9

On Thursday, February 13, 2020, and Friday, February 14, 2020, 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM, there will be a two-day Equity Learning Exchange offered to the general public.

To register for this free event visit: bit.ly/37Jv0vI

Questions can be directed to Marthea Pitts: MLPITTS@FSU.EDU

Black History Month