Race and child welfare services: past research and future directions.

Abstract

A review of child welfare research suggests that children of color and their families experience poorer outcomes and receive fewer services than their Caucasian counterparts. The relationship between race and the outcomes of child welfare services is confounded, however, by the relationships among race and other contributors to poor child welfare outcomes. Child welfare researchers should take explicit account of race and ethnicity in designing and carrying out their studies. Service approaches intended to meet the special needs of children of color and their families should be developed and rigorously evaluated.