California Child Welfare Indicators Project Q Slides Center for Social Services Research School of Social Welfare University of California, Berkeley The California Child Welfare Indicators Project (CCWIP) is a collaboration of the California Department of Social Services and the School of Social Welfare, University of California at Berkeley, and is supported by the California Department of Social Services and the Stuart Foundation
the current placement system* (highly simplified) *adapted from Lyle, G. L., & Barker, M.A. (1998) Patterns & Spells: New approaches to conceptualizing children’s out of home placement experiences. Chicago: American Evaluation Association Annual Conference CHILD IN a bunch of stuff happens CHILD OUT the foster care system
counterbalanced indicators of system performance permanency through reunification, adoption, or guardianship length of stay stability of care allegations/ victimizations home-based services vs. out of home care positive attachments to family, friends, and neighbors use of least restrictive form of care Source: Usher, C.L., Wildfire, J.B., Gogan, H.C. & Brown, E.L. (2002). Measuring Outcomes in Child Welfare. Chapel Hill: Jordan Institute for Families reentry to care tracking child welfare outcomes
the view matters… How long do children stay in foster care? January 1, 2013December 31, 2013July 1, 2013 Source: Aron Shlonsky, University of Toronto (formerly at CCWIP)
The problem with summary statistics: The average human has one breast and one testicle. * * ~Des McHale
definitions disproportionality: when a group makes up a proportion of those experiencing some event that is higher or lower than that group’s proportion of the population disparity: a comparison of one group (e.g., regarding disproportionality, services, outcomes) to another group
California: Allegation, Substantiation, Entry, and In Care Rates per 1,000
Population Data Allegation, and substantiation rates, entry rates and foster care caseload in care rates data are based on population data from the California Department of Finance (DOF). Please consult the methodology for details. – eport=Population eport=Population
Poverty Data 2013 estimates of the population of children (ages 0-17) living in poverty by race/ethnicity Using the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) five-year Estimates, poverty multipliers were calculated by race/ethnicity for California and each of its 58 counties These multipliers were then applied to population data from the California Department of Finance
July-December 2008 First Entries California: Percent Exited to Permanency 60 Months From Entry, by race and placement
Needell, B., Webster, D., Armijo, M., Lee, S., Dawson, W., Magruder, J., Exel, M., Cuccaro-Alamin, S., Putnam- Hornstein, E., Sandoval, A., Yee, H., Mason, F., Benton, C., Lou, C., Peng, C., King, B., & Lawson, J. (2014). CCWIP reports. Retrieved 3/2014, from University of California at Berkeley California Child Welfare Indicators Project website. URL: