Reunification for young children of color with substance removals: An intersectional analysis of longitudinal national data.

BACKGROUND

The opioid epidemic has resulted in increasing attention to the effect of parental substance use disorders on child welfare system involvement, including foster care utilization. Opioid use disorders are more common among whites than people of color, however.

OBJECTIVE

This study sought to determine number and proportion of children of color with substance removals and whether disparities exist in likelihood of reunification compared to white children.

PARTICIPANTS & SETTING: This study used U.S. Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) data to determine rates of foster care entries and outcomes between 2007-2017 across intersections of child race/ethnicity, age, and substance removal status.

METHODS

Survival analyses were employed to test the primary research questions.

RESULTS

During the 10 year period observed, the number and proportion of white children with substance removals (ages 0-4 and 5+) in foster care increased two- to three-fold compared to children of color with substance removals depending on child age. However, children of color, particularly ages 0-4, faced disadvantages respecting foster care outcomes. Results of the multivariate proportional hazards models revealed that reunification was significantly and substantially more likely for every group compared to young (0-4) children of color with substance removals. Further probing revealed that racial disparities were driven primarily by Black/African American children.

CONCLUSIONS

Children of color with substance removals, particularly Black/African American children, are at higher risk of poor child welfare outcomes compared to their white peers.