African American Caregivers and Substance Abuse in Child Welfare: Identification of Multiple Risk Profiles

Despite the strong correlation between caregiver substance abuse and child maltreatment, little information exists to understand
the typology of African American caregivers with substance abuse problems in the child welfare system. Research shows African
American caregivers contend with multiple problems stemming from substance abuse. Unfortunately, we do not yet know how to
best tailor resources to be responsive to varying groups of African American caregivers. Using data from the National Survey
of Child and Adolescent Well-being (NSCAW), this investigation tested for distinct multivariate profiles among a subset of
African American caregivers with substance abuse problems (n = 258). Latent Class Analysis (LCA) was used to classify caregivers, and five classes were identified among this high risk
sample—each with distinct risk profiles. Based on these findings, we discuss implications for tailored practices to enhance
the safety and stability of children involved with child welfare.