Child well-being in kinship foster care: Similar to, or different from, non-related foster care?

Abstract

This study examined whether the well-being of children in kinship foster care can be explained with factors that predict child well-being in non-related foster care. This was accomplished through a secondary analysis of selected data collected through case-specific interviews with caseworkers. In this study, few of the variables identified in previous literature on non-related foster care were significant predictors of well-being of children placed in kinship foster care. This study found that higher levels of child well-being were associated with the child's birth mother being unmarried and not having housing problems. Lower levels of child well-being were associated with kinship caregivers having identified problems that affect their ability to care for the child. Caseworker ratings of child well-being were not significantly associated with the child's individual case history, or with the level of input children have into the decision-making process. Implications for future research are discussed.