09/01/2026
NEW Research at a Glance 🔍
Disabled parents can face unequal treatment in the child welfare system, with ableism, racism, sexism, and poverty compounding the barriers they experience.
Our latest research brief draws on interviews with 23 child welfare attorneys across the United States to examine how these forms of oppression intersect in child welfare cases.
The findings show how systemic barriers and unequal access to resources can increase scrutiny of disabled parents and contribute to higher rates of child removal and termination of parental rights.
Learn more: https://zurl.co/JAr0r
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Image Description:
1: Cover slide with a photo of a courtroom gavel and columns in the background. Text reads, “‘The system is stacked against them’: Child Welfare Attorneys on Intersectional Oppression and Disabled Parents.” A “Research Brief” label appears above the title.
2: Titled “Disabled parents face unequal treatment.” Text explains that disabled parents are more likely to experience child welfare involvement, including foster care placement and loss of parental rights, due to ableist assumptions. Icons labeled “Disability,” “Race,” and “Poverty” illustrate how overlapping forms of inequality can increase child welfare involvement.
3: Text reads: What did researchers do? Researchers interviewed 23 child welfare attorneys across the United States about their experiences representing disabled parents. They explored how disability intersects with racism, sexism, and poverty in child welfare cases. Infographics explain attorney demographics. 20 out of the 23 attorneys were female. A majority of the attorneys worked for a state or county. Most were from the Northeast (33%) or West (38%).
4: Text reads: Finding #1. The system itself creates barriers. Bias, lack of training, and unequal access to resources make it harder for many disabled parents to succeed. Quote says. When you get the white upper middle class definition of child safety... you’re going to lose a lot of these families.
5: Titled “Finding #2: Oppression compounds harm” with a quote that reads: "The system is stacked against them." Text explains that parents experiencing multiple forms of oppression may face greater scrutiny and less support, while child welfare involvement can create additional stress and barriers. Second title, “Finding #3: Long-term consequences,” is followed by three bullet points explaining the consequences: higher rates of child removal, a greater risk of termination of parental rights, and lasting emotional trauma. A quote reads: “I have never had a white client be TPR’d or had a TPR filed against them.”
6: Titled “What needs to change?” and “Moving toward a fairer system!!” Text presents recommendations for creating a more equitable child welfare system, including updating child welfare policies, providing intersectional training, centering disabled parents’ lived experiences, and investing in anti-poverty supports and accessible services.
7: Final slide presents cover page of the brief with the title that reads: Read the resource on our website to learn more.
