David Crampton is an associate professor. He became engaged in social work research and practice while working with a University of Michigan research team examining foster care in Michigan. The research revealed that African American children were significantly more likely to be in foster care than White children, a trend that continues in Cuyahoga County. While African American children make up 30% of the county's child population, they account for 53% of calls to the Child Protective Services hotline and 50% of children in the custody of the Cuyahoga County Division of Children and Family Services (CCDCFS).
David pursued his interest in the experiences of African American children in foster care by earning an MSW and PhD in social work from the University of Michigan. His dissertation evaluated a program that used Family Group Decision Making (FGDM) to divert children of color from foster care into placement with relatives. Since joining the Mandel School faculty in 2002, he has continued his research on foster care and family meeting practices in child welfare services. CCDCFS employs a practice similar to FGDM called Team Decision Making (TDM). David has published numerous articles about TDM and related family meeting practices used in Cuyahoga County, across the United States and internationally.
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Why I Teach
My research work to date demonstrates that reducing the disproportionate impact of foster care on African American children requires broad engagement of community organizations, neighborhoods and families. I build on this expertise through my teaching of MSW students by teaching community practice and policy advocacy courses. I empower my students to confront racism in human services, building upon my own practice experiences.
Why I Chose This Profession
I first became engaged in social work research and practice when I joined a research team at the University of Michigan School of Social Work that was examining foster care in Michigan. An overwhelming finding of that research was that African American children were far more likely to be in foster care compared to White children in Michigan. I decided to become a social work professor to encourage my students to confront this challenge.