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Background Information about parents with intellectual and developmental disabilities ( IDD) in the child protection system ( CPS) continues to evolve. This study examined characteristics, experiences and representation of parents with IDD across three CPS decision points, as compared to parents with other disabilities and parents without disabilities in the United States. Methods The sample consisted of 303,039 individuals: 2,081 were individuals identified as parents in a CPS investigation; 1,101 had children in out-of-home care ( OHC); and 308 experienced termination of parental rights ( TPR). Descriptive statistics, chi-square analysis, disparity indices and logistic regression were employed. Results Parents with IDD were significantly more likely than parents without disabilities (but not significantly more likely than parents with other types of disabilities) to experience disproportionately representation. Conclusions Parents with IDD are generally over-represented within CPS; however, this representation is dependent upon the comparison group utilized and other risk factors. CPS system-level changes are necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Parents with disabilities are significantly overrepresented in CPS investigations. • Generally, overrepresentation of parents with disabilities is reduced when their children enter out of home care (OHC). • Generally, overrepresentation of parents with disabilities increases again at the point of termination of parental rights (TPR). • Some disability diagnoses show greater disproportionality than others, including emotional and behavioral disabilities at investigations and intellectual and developmental disabilities at TPR. Racial disproportionality and disparity have long plagued the United States child protection system (CPS). Determining whether disproportionality exists for parents with various disability diagnoses, and the points at which it may occur within CPS, is important to the provision of appropriate assessment and service delivery to children and families. This study describes the characteristics of parents with different types of disabilities and estimates their representation at various CPS decision-making points. The sample consists of a longitudinal, population-level cohort of individuals aged 15–21 identified from statewide educational records, whose disability status could be determined. Statewide CPS records were integrated to determine subsequent CPS involvement (as alleged offenders/parents involved in a child maltreatment investigation, and/or as parents of children placed in out-of-home care [OHC], and/or as parents whose parental rights were terminated [TPR]), or lack thereof. Descriptive statistics, chi-square analysis, disparity indices with decision-point enumeration, and logistic regression analyses were used to answer study questions. Findings reveal consistent and significant overrepresentation of parents with disabilities at CPS investigation as compared to parents without disabilities. Additionally there is a fairly similar trend across disability diagnoses in the reduction of overrepresentation at OHC, followed by a diagnosis-specific change in representation as parents with disability move into a situation of TPR, with some parents with disabilities being over-represented and others not. Attention to practice, policy, and research are necessary to provide fair and equitable services to parents with disabilities and their children in CPS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]