The overrepresentation of parents with disabilities in child protection

Abstract

BackgroundRacial disproportionality and disparity have long plagued the United States child protection system (CPS). Determining whether disproportionality exists for parents with various disability diagnoses, and the points at which it may occur within CPS, is important to the provision of appropriate assessment and service delivery to children and families. ObjectiveThis study describes the characteristics of parents with different types of disabilities and estimates their representation at various CPS decision-making points. Participants and settingThe sample consists of a longitudinal, population-level cohort of individuals aged 15–21 identified from statewide educational records, whose disability status could be determined. Statewide CPS records were integrated to determine subsequent CPS involvement (as alleged offenders/parents involved in a child maltreatment investigation, and/or as parents of children placed in out-of-home care [OHC], and/or as parents whose parental rights were terminated [TPR]), or lack thereof. MethodsDescriptive statistics, chi-square analysis, disparity indices with decision-point enumeration, and logistic regression analyses were used to answer study questions. ResultsFindings reveal consistent and significant overrepresentation of parents with disabilities at CPS investigation as compared to parents without disabilities. Additionally there is a fairly similar trend across disability diagnoses in the reduction of overrepresentation at OHC, followed by a diagnosis-specific change in representation as parents with disability move into a situation of TPR, with some parents with disabilities being over-represented and others not. ConclusionAttention to practice, policy, and research are necessary to provide fair and equitable services to parents with disabilities and their children in CPS.