Urban American Indian/Alaskan Natives compared to non-Indians in out-of-home care

Child Welfare. 2011;90(1):43-58.

Abstract

Historically, American Indian/Alaskan Native (AI/AN) children have been disproportionately represented in the foster care system. In this study, nationally representative child welfare data from October 1999 was used to compare urban AI/AN children to non-Indian children placed into out-of-home care. Compared to non-Indian children, urban AI/AN children were older, were more often male, came from poorer homes, and were more frequently placed into group homes/ residential placements. Urban AI/AN caregivers had a greater prevalence of alcohol abuse and mental health problems compared with non-Indian caregivers.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Age Distribution
  • Alaska / epidemiology
  • Alcoholism / epidemiology
  • Caregivers / statistics & numerical data*
  • Child
  • Child Abuse / statistics & numerical data
  • Child Welfare*
  • Child, Preschool
  • Data Collection / methods
  • Data Collection / statistics & numerical data
  • Female
  • Foster Home Care / statistics & numerical data*
  • Group Homes / statistics & numerical data
  • Humans
  • Indians, North American / statistics & numerical data*
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Male
  • Mental Disorders / epidemiology
  • Poverty / statistics & numerical data
  • Racial Groups / statistics & numerical data
  • Residential Facilities / statistics & numerical data*
  • Sex Distribution
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • United States / epidemiology
  • Urban Population / statistics & numerical data*