The Child Welfare System
The Reality
Who are the children and families involved in the child welfare system?
Children get involved with the child welfare system for a variety of reasons, but primarily because of allegations of neglect against their parents. These neglect allegations are closely related to factors such as poverty, trauma, mental illness, domestic violence, and substance use. Children and families of color are much more likely to suffer from these conditions and are much more likely to be reported to children’s services than white children because of both individual bias and structural racism. CASA-NYC's staff and volunteers advocate for children and youth who are in foster care, at high risk of foster care placement, or transitioning out of foster care.
The Impact of Involvement in the Foster Care System
There are approximately 10,000 children and youth in New York City foster care each year.
It is almost always traumatic for children to be separated from their parents or caregivers to whom they are attached, even in cases when the home environment isn’t ideal or safe. The longer that children are in foster care and away from their families, the greater their risk of poor long-term outcomes including mental and physical health problems, homelessness, unemployment, incarceration, and early pregnancy. This in turn puts their children at risk of poverty, trauma, and child welfare system involvement.
These risks increase exponentially for older youth aging out of the foster care system without being reunified with family or adopted. The quicker we are able to get children out of foster care and into safe, permanent homes – ideally by returning them to their family of origin – the more likely they are to heal from trauma and experience educational and developmental gains.
Higher Risk for Poor Long Term Outcomes:
CASA-NYC volunteer advocates provide much-needed consistency
Case workers, attorneys, and even foster homes typically change frequently throughout a young person’s time in foster care. CASA-NYC volunteer advocates, however, are appointed to a child or youth's case for as long as they are needed and it's not uncommon for volunteers to work with a young person for 5-10+ years.
When CASA-NYC works with a child, youth, or family, we not only become a part of their support system, we often become the architects of a new, stronger, and more enduring network of care and support.
Learn More
Below are the articles, podcasts, books, and movies we recommend to volunteers and supporters to better understand the barriers that children, youth, and families face as they try to navigate the child welfare system.
White Hands, Black Baby: A View from the Crib by Jaiya John