Dear John,
Sometimes, to save children’s lives and protect their safety, Child Protective Services (CPS) must remove them from unsafe homes. However, we also know that removals are deeply traumatic and disruptive for kids and parents. And, as recent federal court hearings underscored, Texas faces urgent, well-documented challenges that make it harder to ensure that children who do enter foster care are safe and supported.
These challenges in the CPS system affect Texas children and families of all racial/ethnic backgrounds.
But Black children and families face the greatest risks under the current CPS system in Texas. According to state data for 2019, Black children are vastly overrepresented at every stage of the Texas child welfare system. Among the state’s largest counties, Travis County has the highest rates of racial disproportionality in the CPS system, although Dallas, El Paso, Harris, and Tarrant Counties also have particularly disturbing rates of overrepresentation in the system. Once Black children enter foster care in Texas, they are also somewhat more likely than other children to have experiences that are associated with worse outcomes.
Our new blog post takes a closer look at this data, the reasons for the racial disproportionality, and policy recommendations for state and local leaders, including recommendations regarding the implementation of the 2018 Family First Act.
