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Racial Equity & Cultural Competence
Racial Equity and Cultural Competence Committee
Introduction
The Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) seeks to ensure that every child and family we serve is nurtured, safe, strong and part of a supportive community. Its mission is to support communities, strengthen families, protect children, and promote healthy child development, ensuring that young people flourish as they grow into adulthood. A core foundational value is equity. ACS is also committed to countering racial disproportionality, the overrepresentation of children of color in child and family serving systems, attributable to multiple factors including racism, economic poverty, inadequate resources, chronic stress and inequities in housing, education, employment and health care.
Like other child and family serving systems across the country, ACS, has undertaken efforts to address structural and institutional policies and practices that contribute to disproportionality.
The ACS Racial Equity and Cultural Competence Committee supports the development of a child welfare and juvenile justice system that responds respectfully and effectively to people of all racial and cultural backgrounds. A system where neither race nor culture are predictors of how well children and their families fare when involved with ACS.
Mission Statement
The mission of the Racial Equity and Cultural Competence Committee is to ensure ACS achieves equity in all aspects of its work, for all NYC children and families, throughout its child welfare, juvenile justice, and early care systems. We do so by:
- Developing and implementing specific actions that promote equitable outcomes for children and families of color;
- Building the capacity of Children’s Services’ staff at all levels to respond effectively to structural racism and individual bias and promote culturally competent policy and practice;
- Partnering with community and other systems that play a key role in the achievement of positive service outcomes to promote racial equity and cultural competence, and;
- Informing policies, training, hiring practices, and program practice guidelines where needed to ensure continuity and sustainability in promoting equitable outcomes for children, families, and staff.
History & Overview
ACS established the Taskforce on Racial Equity and Cultural Competency in 2006 to support the development of a system of directly provided and contracted services that responds respectfully and effectively to people of all racial and cultural backgrounds. In 2011, the Task Force was renamed the Racial Equity and Cultural Competence Committee, and includes a diverse representation of Children’s Services staff, and external stakeholders and professionals committed to achieving its goals.