Advancing Anti-Racism in Child Policy Advocacy

Abstract

Although child policy advocates support and protect children’s rights, research evidence does not indicate that these professionals and organizations have addressed embedded racial disparity and disproportionality in the child welfare system that renders children vulnerable in the first place. This article argues that adopting anti-racism is essential to child advocates committed to dismantling racist structures at the core of child welfare. Anti-racism enables child policy advocates to scrutinize and dismember the Eurocentric structures, biases, and practices that keep Black and Brown children and families entangled in the child welfare system. We provide background on child welfare and child policy advocacy. Next, we offer intentional anti-racist strategies for child policy advocates to disrupt the child welfare system. We conclude with recommendations for anti-racist practices to eliminate racial disparity and disproportionality in the child welfare system.