Placement Of Children In Foster Care Research Articles

'I was broken in so many different ways': The intersection of complex factors impacting homeless and at-risk African American women's mental health and well-being.

African American women are at higher risk of poor mental ill health compared with other racial and ethnic groups in the United States. For low-income and homeless African American populations, the risk of poor mental ill health is even higher. The purpose of our study was to learn what programmes at a long-term transitional living centre helped at-risk and homeless African American mothers to succeed on their own, in accordance with self-identified goals. We conducted ten focus group interviews with 39 graduates of a long-term transitional living centre located in a Midwestern city, and an individual interview with the founder of that centre (N = 40). Our study was informed by Black Feminist Thought, Life Course Theory, and an instrumental case study design. Thematic analysis was used to identify patterns in the qualitative data collected. Findings pertaining to mental health included impacts of adverse childhood experiences, lack of social networks, child placement in foster care, and implications on self-esteem and self-worth. Our findings demonstrate the need for healthcare providers to take into account the intersecting factors facing African American women experiencing homelessness undergirded by systemic racism, which impacts their mental health and well-being.

Substance‐abusing mothers in residential treatment with their babies: Importance of pre‐ and postnatal maternal reflective functioning

A residential treatment program has been developed specifically for substance-abusing pregnant and parenting women in Finland, focusing on simultaneously supporting maternal abstinence from substances and the mother-baby relationship. The aims of the study are to explore maternal pre- and postnatal reflective functioning and its association with background factors, maternal exposure to trauma, and psychiatric symptoms, postnatal interaction, child development, and later child foster care placement. Participants were 34 mother-baby pairs living in three residential program units during the pre- to postnatal period. We employed self-report questionnaires on background, trauma history, and psychiatric symptoms (Brief Symptom Inventory: L.R. Derogatis, 1993; Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale: J.L. Cox, J.M. Holden, & R. Sagovsky, 1987; Traumatic Antecedents Questionnaire: B. Van der Kolk, 2003), videotaped mother-child interactions coded for sensitivity, control, and unresponsiveness (Care Index for Infants and Toddlers: P. Crittenden, 2003); a standardized test of child development (Bayley Scales of Infant Development-II: N. Bayley, 1993); and semistructured interviews for maternal reflective functioning (Pregnancy Interview: A. Slade, E. Bernbach, J. Grienenberger, D.W. Levy, & A. Locker, 2002; Parent Development Interview: A. Slade et al., 2005). Pre- and postnatal maternal reflective functioning (RF) was on average low, but varied considerably across participants. Average RF increased significantly during the intervention. Increase in RF level was found to be associated with type of abused substance and maternal trauma history. Mothers who showed lower postnatal RF levels relapsed to substance use more often after completing a residential treatment period, and their children were more likely to be placed in foster care. The intensive focus on maternal RF is an important direction in the development of efficacious treatment for this very high risk population.

Child fostering and adoption in Nigeria: a case study of Kwara State and literature review

The aim of this study is to evaluate the state of fostering and adoption services in Kwara State, which is the gateway between the northern and southern parts of the Nigeria. We will be determining the major reasons for child placement, common kindred cases as well as common medical conditions seen amongst the children under care. A retrospective analysis of case records in government owned family welfare institutions in the state between 1995 and 2005 was done. Oral interview was also conducted for officer's in-charge of these institutions. The results showed that cases of child abuse and neglect are the major reasons for child placement in foster care, and a steady rise has been noticed in spite of the existence of protective laws and regulations. This has led to an overwhelming of the available family welfare services in the state. There is need for community sensitization on the adverse effects of abuse and neglect; on the child, the family and the society at large. Government should strengthen the various family welfare service institutions and improve on its family economic empowerment programmes. This will enhance the family income and prevent children from entering into inadequate and inappropriate foster care system. Keywords: fostering, adoption, Child, Kwara State, Nigeria The Tropical Journal of Health Sciences Vol. 13(2) 2006: 1-5