When Black children go to foster care, they suffer more than other children. They tend to be removed for more minor offenses from their homes, remain in the system longer, and go back to their families at a much lower rate. Why is this the case?
Institutional racism affects the foster care system, too. This means it’s more likely our children will end up in prison, abuse alcohol and drugs, or live in poverty. But it wasn’t always like this.
Before integration, Black children were ignored by the foster care system. Instead, we used informal systems of care. Children stayed with family, church members, or other caring community members. This ensured children stayed in their local communities, were taken care of, and kept family and cultural ties.
After integration, the system removed Black children from our homes and communities to place them in group homes or homes outside of our communities. This meant they were more likely to be exposed to racism at home and in other settings such as school, healthcare, and housing.
The kindness and love of the Black community kept Black children safe and connected to their families before integration. Now our children are suffering from the effects of the institutional racism built into the foster care system. We must remember that no one can care for our children as we can.