BY NICKI MAYO 
“I haven’t had the worst foster care experience, but there have definitely been some challenges along the way,” said Buffalo’s Naomi Porter. Her mother abused drugs and her father was incarcerated. The 23 year old college student says she has had nomadic life in the Erie County foster system.
“It’s been interesting. I’ve had about five different placements. I stayed with relatives twice,” Porter added.
Erie County has approximately 900 children in foster care, 50% of which are African American. A Western New York collaborative is “Getting to the Root” of racial disparities in the child welfare system.
“Why is it that African American children are removed from their parents at a much higher percentage rate than Caucasian children?” said County Family Court Judge Lisa Bloch-Rodwin. That’s the question more than 440 frontline social workers and family court judges are working to answer at the “Getting to the Root of It” Conference at the Buffalo-Niagara Convention Center.
“Monroe County, Erie County, Albany County. These are place where we have high placement rates and high racial disparity rates for African American children,” said New York State Children and Family Services Special Projects Director Gregory Owens.
According to the U.S. Census, African Americans made up 15% of the nation’s child population in 2000. Forty-six percent of these Black children are in the foster care system. In 2008, Erie County reports Blacks make up 19% of the youth population, but account for nearly 50% of the child welfare system.
Blacks and Foster Care
15% USA Youth Population (2000)
46% USA Foster Care System (2000)
19% Erie Co. Youth Population (2008)
50% Erie Co. Foster Care System (2008)
Source: Erie Co. Child & Family Services and US Census
*** 2008 Erie County Race/Ethnicity and the Path through the Child Welfare System ***
Child Population (n = 202,0555)
72.8% White
19.0% Black
5.6% Hispanic
Children in Substantial Reports (n = 3,485)
41.5% White
34.3% Black
10.7% Hispanic
Children in Foster Care (n = 886)
31.0% White
50.3% Black
5.4% Hispanic
“We’re starting with the conference with looking at the reality of where we are in Erie County and that is not acceptable,” said Judge Bloch-Rodwin.
Last year Erie County child welfare officials received 3,485 substantial reports of neglect and abuse. Many social workers and family court judges say they would prefer to reunite all children with their families intact.
“The social workers are on the frontlines and they work incredibly long hours with huge case loads because they believe in the children,” said Judge Bloch-Rodwin. In the end, they say they are working to get the best “fit” for all children in foster care.
“We don’t want to take a child from the west side of Buffalo and stick them all the way in East Aurora,’ added Judge Bloch-Rodwin.
Naomi was three, five and 12 when she and her sister were placed in five different foster homes around the Fruit Belt. Today the Bryant and Stratton College business student says she wants to dedicate her life to improving social services around East Buffalo.
“I have it laid out. Ultimately I’d like to open my own non-profit and do something for minority youth in low income areas,” said Porter.’
“I want to serve young people between 16 to 24 where we offer opportunities for community service as well as international mission trips,” she added with a smile.
