Crisis nursery effects on child placement after foster care

The results of a study of the relationship between receiving crisis nursery services and the placement outcomes for young children leaving the child welfare system in Illinois are reported in this paper. The placement outcomes for children leaving foster care whose families received crisis nursery support prior to the children's placement in foster care is compared to the placement outcomes for children whose families received only foster care services. The children in two samples were identified by matching crisis nursery children's data from FY 2006 with children's data in the Illinois Child Abuse and Neglect Tracking System and Children Youth and Services Information System databases. After children served by crisis nursery and foster care services were identified, a comparison group of children with like-characteristics whose families received only foster care services was identified using propensity score matching. The children were followed until their out-of-home placement was terminated or until June 30, 2009. The placement outcomes and the length of stay were compared for the two groups. Using logistical regression analysis the results showed that children whose families received crisis nursery services prior to foster care placement were twice as likely to be reunited with their biological families (birth or extended family members) when compared to children whose families received only foster care services. The difference in the length-of-stay in foster care was not statistically significant when the two groups were compared. This preliminary study using administrative data shows that receiving crisis nursery services may have positive effects on the children's ultimate placement outcome after foster care. Additional research is needed to further explore the relationship between placement outcome and crisis nursery services.     

Mentors for adolescents in foster care

Significant numbers of adolescents in foster placement plan to live independently following discharge. Mentoring is increasingly being used as a support service to assist older foster youths to make the transition to adult living. A survey of 29 child welfare programs indicate that a variety of mentoring models are in use. The main models are transitional Life Skills Mentors, Cultural-Empowerment Mentors, and Corporate-Business Mentors. Mentoring connects foster wards with a cross-section of community citizens who provide a bridge to higher education and employment, and serve as a resource for transitional problem-solving. Information is needed on the impacts of mentor-mentee matches and efforts to sustain mentor-mentee relationships.Based on a paper presented at the Second National Child Welfare Conference, Division of Child Welfare Research, Arlington, Virginia, 1994. The research is supported by Research Grant #90CW1026 entitled Mentors as Resources for Preparing Foster Youths for Independent Living, from the Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Washington, D.C.the Principal Investigator, Foster Youth Project and Adolescent Mentor Project.     

Outcomes of specialized foster care in a managed child welfare services network

This study (N = 384) presents results from outcome measurement in a services network providing specialized foster care (SFC) to children in child protective service custody. A majority of participants improved on most outcomes. Global improvement was associated with increased length of stay up to two years, five months, and with younger age, fewer problems, and, paradoxically, the presence of a trauma history. Results suggest the value of SFC within managed services and of research using outcome measurement systems.     

Disproportionality in education and employment outcomes of adult foster care alumni

Racial similarities and disparities in the education and employment of 134 African American and 574 White adults placed in foster care as children were examined. Logistic regression was used to compare differences among these young adult alumni who were served by a voluntary foster care agency in 23 U.S. communities. When controlling for demographic background, risk factors, and foster care experiences, race/ethnicity was a significant factor only in the increased odds of White alumni having income at or above poverty level, three times poverty level, and home/apartment ownership compared to African Americans.     

The market for foster care: an empirical study of the impact of foster care subsidies

When parents are suspected of child abuse or neglect, their children may be placed with foster families. We estimate the relationship between the monthly subsidies paid to foster families and the quantity of foster care services provided. The empirical model uses variation in subsidies and foster care populations within 37 states and the years 1987–1995. One innovation in our approach is that we exploit the idea that states do not appear to set market clearing rates, as evidenced by a foster home shortage during this time period. In this case of excess demand, variation in the monthly subsidy traces out the supply curve. Our results show that states with high demand may be able to use economic incentives to recruit foster families.

Planning for permanency planning in foster care

The perceived severity of the problem of “drift” in the foster care system has encouraged agencies nationwide to accept permanency planning, but perhaps with limited attention to the planning process. This article examines the phenomenon of permanency planning from a planning perspective by focusing on: (a) definition of the permanency planning problem, (b) understanding of issues relevant to permanency planning (caseworker, program and systemic), (c) appreciation of the operational context (political, economic and social factors), and (d) evaluation of available options and possible consequences in developing or improving a permanency planning program. Permanency planning is not a simple, ready-made program applicable to any situation; it involves coordinated efforts by workers, service systems, and society in general, and requires time, commitment and resources. Successful planning for permanency planning can permit more children to grow up in homes providing continuity and stability.     

Bibliotherapy for children in foster care and adoption

The bibliotherapeutic technique can help children adjust to the foster care and adoption experience. Appropriate children's books are described and the application and limitations of bibliotherapy are discussed.     

Decision-making around psychotropic medications for children in foster care: Perspectives from foster parents

Background and objectiveChildren in foster care have complex mental health needs and receive high rates of psychotropic medications. Rarely can foster parents make legal decisions about treatment, yet they are intricately involved in the child's life and responsible for the child's safety and well-being. We aimed to conduct the first study of foster parent perspectives on decision-making relevant to the use of psychotropics with children in foster care.MethodsWe conducted semi-structured phone interviews with 13 parents in a small northeastern state who had fostered a child receiving psychotropics in the past 5 years. The state child welfare agency sent information about the study via email to all foster and adoptive parents for whom they had email contact. Interviews queried parents' knowledge and attitudes toward psychotropics, engagement in decisions, and recommendations for the decision-making process. Interview responses were coded and synthesized using mixed inductive and deductive methods in Dedoose software.ResultsChildren came into care on an average of four psychotropics. Parents reported receiving little information about the medications and finding information on their own. Parents acknowledged the potential benefits of medications, yet attitudes were largely against their use. Internal and external pressures for and against the use of medications were described. Many parents felt left out of the decisions and recommended team decisions.ConclusionsEfforts to improve foster parents' knowledge of medications, side effects, and monitoring, as well as team decision protocols, are sorely needed to improve decisions for this population.     

Improving healthcare for children entering foster care

Despite the fact that children in foster care are, perhaps, the most vulnerable children, healthcare for them has been lacking woefully for many years. A growing body of research has documented the need for such care as well as the failure of child welfare agencies to make major improvements in providing healthcare to foster children. Nonetheless, current efforts are being made to change this situation. This article reports on one effort to improve the provision and timeliness of health exams for children entering care. One rural and one urban county served as project treatment sites, with two additional rural and urban counties serving as control sites. The treatment sites achieved a statistically significant improvement in their rate of exam completion as compared to the control sites. The study finds that despite an existing policy for healthcare for children entering foster care, legislation mandating additional efforts, shortened time frames, and provision for judicial oversight are needed for improvement.     

The potential for successful family foster care: conceptualizing competency domains for foster parents

The potential to foster successfully starts with developing and supporting competency in 12 domains: providing a safe and secure environment, providing a nurturing environment, promoting educational attainment and success, meeting physical and mental healthcare needs, promoting social and emotional development, supporting diversity and children's cultural needs, supporting permanency planning, managing ambiguity and loss for the foster child and family, growing as a foster parent, managing the demands of fostering on personal and familial well-being, supporting relationships between children and their families, and working as a team member. This article describes each domain and reviews relevant research to help guide the assessment of practicing and future foster parents.     

Sexuality,child care and social work education

Whilst it is important to acknowledge the holistic nature of sexuality and its relevance in all areas of social welfare and service provision, this paper is specifically concerned with lesbian, gay and bisexuality and child care. The issues discussed will be common to all service user groups but the insidious nature of the 'contamination or corruption' theories of homosexuality are particularly inflammatory for those working in the child care field and the young people with whom they work. This paper argues that the needs of lesbians and gay men, particularly young people, will continue to go unmet unless lesbian and gay issues are addressed explicitly in social work education and in a way which does not oversimplify what is an extremely complex task. Anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive practice are central features of the academic and practice curriculum; however, it is not simply a matter of adding lesbian and gay issues to the ever-increasing list of oppressions. The ideology of heterosexism and a legal framework which endorses the discrimination of lesbians and gay men create additional challenges to working with this group of people. As social work education becomes increasingly government and agency led, with a competency model of assessment ruling the day, the realities of what social workers can achieve need to be acknowledged if we are not to be accused of perpetuating meaningless rhetoric; playing into the hands of those who refer to political correctness.     

Health and mental health services for children in foster care: the central role of foster parents

It is well documented that children enter foster care with special health and mental health needs and, while in care, those conditions are often exacerbated. However, less attention has been given to foster parents who have the most contact with these children. Results are presented from a national study on the developmental, health and mental health care needs of children in foster care that included foster parents' perspectives and observations. Their role in improving child well being is explained and recommendations for policy, practice and advocacy also are included.     

A clinical information system for foster care in Israel

It is a source of great concern in Israel that children placed out of home may lose permanence and may drift in the child welfare system. One way to avoid this danger is to improve the monitoring of the children by using modern information technology as a practice aid. A clinical information system is being installed that responds to the information needs of practitioners on all levels of the foster care system. The viability of the system and its possible effects on practice and on clinical judgment are examined.     

Continuity of care for youth in foster care with serious emotional disturbances

Continuity of mental health care has long been considered an essential component to the delivery of a high-quality mental health services, particularly for children with special needs. Unfortunately, discontinuities in care are common for children in foster care due in part to placement instability, disruptions in health coverage, and the fragmented health system. This retrospective cohort study examined factors associated with continuity of care for youth (aged 5–17 years) in foster care diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Information on individual-level (demographic and clinical characteristics) and contextual-level variables (county socio-demographic and health care resources) were abstracted from Medicaid claim files and the Area Resource File. Continuity of care was defined as regularity of care—utilization of at least one outpatient mental health visit per month during the year. Multilevel modeling was used to assess the association between individual and contextual-level variables and continuity of care. Of the 952 youth in the study sample, 439 (46.1%) received regular monthly outpatient visits over the 1 year follow-up period. The odds of receipt of regular outpatient treatment were associated with prior outpatient care (odds ratio (OR): 7.43, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.60–21.20), the presence of a chronic medical illness (OR: 1.45, 95% CI: 0.98–2.16), comorbid anxiety (Or: 1.76, 95% CI 1.22–2.53), or conduct disorder (OR: 1.57, 95% CI: 1.13–2.18), and the use of multiple psychotropic medications as compared to no medications (OR: 1.55, 95% CI: 1.08–2.23). The odds of receiving regular outpatient treatment were higher for youths who resided in suburban areas as compared to metropolitan areas (OR: 1.97, 95% CI: 1.04–3.73) and for those who resided in areas with greater supply of psychiatrists per capita (OR: 1.22, 95% CI: 1.02–1.45). Study findings underscore the need for quality improvement initiatives that improve access to care, care coordination, and continuity of care.     

Children's participation in foster care placements

This article presents results from a study of the birth children of foster carers and their experiences of growing up with foster siblings. Data were gathered from focus groups (17 participants), discussion groups (16 participants), a questionnaire (684 responses) and eight individual interviews. The children's participation in the fostering placements is in focus. Accounts from the children show that several of them participate in care-giving activities in everyday life. Their participation in the official assignment is however limited and can lead to children taking on responsibility with no support from adults. The tension between children's agency and position in society is addressed. The study shows how power relations between children and adults come into play, how both children and adults (re)-produce positions where children's rights to have a say in questions that concern them are not reflected within fostering processes.     

An intensive reunification program for children in foster care

While the Intensive Family Preservation Services (IFPS) model is widely used in preventing out-of-home placement, its application to reunifying foster children with their families has produced mixed results. This pilot project combined elements of the IFPS model with foster care-related services that included foster parent training and support, foster parent-parent linkage, and frequent parental visiting. Of 42 participating foster children, 79% were successfully reunified. At follow-up one year after their exit from the project, 91% of reunified children were still living with their family. Reunification was significantly associated with several characteristics of the families studied.     

The foster care system in India

The author has undertaken the difficult task of giving us an overall view of the foster care picture of all India, the first such panorama we have received.