Date of Award

Spring 2008

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Public Administration (MPA)

Abstract

Increasing numbers of children entering and re-entering the child welfare system is a matter of much concern. It is most frightening as services and social workers are limited in capacity to accommodate the high numbers of displaced children. This epidemic looks even bleaker from the perspective of race and ethnicity. As varied researchers look at the risk and safety factors as direct correlation to the increased numbers of children in the system, race and ethnicity have risen as an undeniable correlation to entering and treatment within the system.

This research paper will include an in-depth study of disproportionality within the County of Sacramento's Child Protective Services (CPS) Department, with a particular focus on increasing social worker capacity to effectively serve and overtime decrease the number of African American children within the system. This study will encompass research and findings from various resources including data analysis, random selected social worker questionnaires, literature reviews, and findings from internal quality assurance studies. Equally, the research paper will serve the purpose of embarking into a road map and strategic plan to address disproportionality. Ultimately, this paper will assist in identifying and removing the found organizational and systemic factors that have greatly contributed to the disproportionality of black children.

Share

COinS