Merav Jedwab1, Yanfeng Xu2, Daniel Keyser3, Terry V Shaw4. 1. School of Social Work, University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB), United States. Electronic address: mjedwab@ssw.umaryland.edu. 2. School of Social Work, University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB), United States. Electronic address: YANFENG.XU@ssw.umaryland.edu. 3. School of Social Work, University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB), United States. Electronic address: dkeyser@ssw.umaryland.edu. 4. School of Social Work, University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB), United States. Electronic address: tshaw@ssw.umaryland.edu.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: A significant proportion of children placed in out of-home care experience placement disruptions in the United States. Placement instability has deleterious effects on children's well-being. OBJECTIVES: (a) To measure the time-to-initial placement change in different types of settings, including non-relative foster homes, kinship care, residential treatment centers (RTC), group homes and other types of settings; and (b) To identify predictors of the initial placement change. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: Data were obtained from the State Automated Child Welfare Information System operated by the child welfare agency in a Mid-Atlantic state. The sample included 4177 children who entered into the foster care and were followed over three years. METHOD: Descriptive, bivariate, and survival Cox regression models were conducted. RESULTS: More than half (53%) of the children had experienced placement change within 3 years. The mean length for an initial change in placement was longer for children in RTC and kinship care compared to children in foster and group homes, and other placements (χ2 = 322.31, p < 0.001). Several factors significantly increased the likelihood of an initial change, including: older children (p < 0.001, HR = 1.01), children with behavioral problems (p < 0.001, HR = 1.26), parental substance abuse (p < 0.05, HR = 1.12), and cases in which the parents voluntarily gave up their parental rights (p < 0.05, HR = 1.12). The type of placement also increased the risk for placement change. CONCLUSIONS: Providing early interventions and services to these children and their families is essential to increase placement stability.
BACKGROUND: A significant proportion of children placed in out of-home care experience placement disruptions in the United States. Placement instability has deleterious effects on children's well-being. OBJECTIVES: (a) To measure the time-to-initial placement change in different types of settings, including non-relative foster homes, kinship care, residential treatment centers (RTC), group homes and other types of settings; and (b) To identify predictors of the initial placement change. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: Data were obtained from the State Automated Child Welfare Information System operated by the child welfare agency in a Mid-Atlantic state. The sample included 4177 children who entered into the foster care and were followed over three years. METHOD: Descriptive, bivariate, and survival Cox regression models were conducted. RESULTS: More than half (53%) of the children had experienced placement change within 3 years. The mean length for an initial change in placement was longer for children in RTC and kinship care compared to children in foster and group homes, and other placements (χ2 = 322.31, p < 0.001). Several factors significantly increased the likelihood of an initial change, including: older children (p < 0.001, HR = 1.01), children with behavioral problems (p < 0.001, HR = 1.26), parental substance abuse (p < 0.05, HR = 1.12), and cases in which the parents voluntarily gave up their parental rights (p < 0.05, HR = 1.12). The type of placement also increased the risk for placement change. CONCLUSIONS: Providing early interventions and services to these children and their families is essential to increase placement stability.
Authors: Jennifer E Lapin; Sarah J Beal; Ryan E Adams; Jennifer Ehrhardt; Ernest Pedapati; Tanya E Froehlich Journal: J Dev Behav Pediatr Date: 2022-04-22 Impact factor: 2.988
Authors: José Luis Gálvez-Nieto; Karina Polanco-Levicán; Ítalo Trizano-Hermosilla; Juan Carlos Beltrán-Véliz Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2022-02-26 Impact factor: 3.390