The Pennsylvania Partnership for Children (PPC)  released their 11th annual State of Child Welfare report – a five-year analysis of how Pennsylvania fares with practices around child safety, placement and permanency – that outlines policy recommendations aimed at improving the child welfare system and includes county-level data and statewide and geographic trends.

This report recommends the state and counties undertake a collaborative approach to understanding ways to improve racial disparity and disproportionality within the child welfare system. The report found that Black children and children of multiple races were represented in foster care at more than two times their rate in the general population. Black children were more than five times more likely to re-enter foster care than White children.

PPC notes as Pennsylvania communities begin to rebuild following the COVID-19 pandemic, it will be important for everyone working in the child welfare sector to collaborate to improve the system for the betterment of the children it serves. PPC is committed to sharing data and to working together on system improvements so that it supports Commonwealth children and families to the best of its ability.

Access the full report here.