Addresses disproportional representation of individuals of different races and ethnic groups in the child welfare system. The Race Matters Consortium is a national think tank of concerned experts in research, social work practice, public policy, and philanthropy who critically examine the issues related to racial and ethnic disparities and influence policy and practice through education and consultation. The Consortium’s website presents information about practices that will meet the needs of children of color more appropriately. In particular, the site provides access to papers, models, discussion, and conferences on such topics as the relationship between child maltreatment and child welfare system entry; distinctions between overrepresentation, disproportionality, and disparity in the child welfare system; and key issues underlying racially disproportionate representation and outcomes in the child welfare system, along with promising solutions. Among the Consortium’s goals are translating current research into user-friendly language for multiple audiences; establishing collaborations at the national and local levels; and developing and advancing a national action agenda to address racial/ethnic disproportionate representation and outcomes in the child welfare system environment. The site gives researchers, social workers, and child welfare advocates a venue for joint efforts to influence change in child welfare practice and policy.
