State addresses high number of black and Hispanics in foster care
6:57 AM EDT, August 13, 2007
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/connecticut/ny-bc-ct--fostercare0813aug13,0,7958765.story
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) _ A pilot program that was tried out in Waterbury
for two years will be used by state officials to address the
disproportionately high number of black and Hispanic kids in foster care.
The Department of Children and Families has figures showing that
minority children make up the majority of children in the foster case
system.
Black children make up nearly 36 percent of those in foster care, while
making up just 11 percent of the state's overall child population,
according to DCF.
Agency figures show a similar situation for Hispanic children who make
up about 25 percent of the foster care population, but only 13 percent
of the general population.
"As you go deeper down the spectrum," Hector Glynn, executive director
of the Connecticut Juvenile Justice Alliance told the Hartford Courant,
"it actually gets darker."
In an effort to address the concerns, DCF officials have completed a two
year pilot program in Waterbury to give them a statewide plan.
During the two-year program, officials met with children, parents and
community group leaders to discuss how and why blacks and Hispanics end
up in foster care. They worked out strategies to reverse the trend.
Glynn said many foster care workers do not appreciate that everything
they do including how they interview a parent to what details they
choose to note on home inspections can reflect their own economic or
racial biases.
"Whether we recognize it or not, (caseworkers) are gatekeepers to the
system," he said. "You can look at the numbers and see the problem
exists. We are the ones doing it."
DCF officials pushed the Waterbury pilot program, in part, to address
some of those issues. Officials chose Waterbury as the site because it
was a large urban center with demographics similar to those found
statewide, said Siobhan Trotman, a DCF program director who oversaw the
program in conjunction with the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
Based on meetings and discussions with parents, teachers and children in
Waterbury, DCF officials introduced several measures there that they
hope to replicate at other sites.
Among those measures are introducing more outreach and early
intervention programs at schools with high numbers of minority students,
and contracting out positions to make sure family members who might not
speak English can still access DCF resources.
___
Information from: The Hartford Courant, http://www.courant.com
CURRENTLY CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES VIOLATES MORE CIVIL RIGHTS ON A
DAILY BASIS THEN ALL OTHER AGENCIES COMBINED INCLUDING THE NSA / CIA
WIRETAPPING PROGRAM....
CPS Does not protect children...
It is sickening how many children are subject to abuse, neglect and even
killed at the hands of Child Protective Services.
every parent should read this .pdf from
connecticut dcf watch...
http://www.connecticutdcfwatch.com/8x11.pdf
http://www.connecticutdcfwatch.com
Number of Cases per 100,000 children in the US
These numbers come from The National Center on
Child Abuse and Neglect in Washington. (NCCAN)
Recent numbers have increased significantly for CPS
*Perpetrators of Maltreatment*
Physical Abuse CPS 160, Parents 59
Sexual Abuse CPS 112, Parents 13
Neglect CPS 410, Parents 241
Medical Neglect CPS 14 Parents 12
Fatalities CPS 6.4, Parents 1.5
CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES, HAPPILY DESTROYING HUNDREDS OF INNOCENT
FAMILIES YEARLY NATIONWIDE AND COMING TO YOU'RE HOME SOON...
BE SURE TO FIND OUT WHERE YOUR CANDIDATES STANDS ON THE ISSUE OF
REFORMING OR ABOLISHING CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES ("MAKE YOUR CANDIDATES
TAKE A STAND ON THIS ISSUE.") THEN REMEMBER TO VOTE ACCORDINGLY IF THEY
ARE "FAMILY UNFRIENDLY" IN THE NEXT ELECTION...
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