Family Connections Research Articles

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on health care workers (HCWs) in Sindh Province of Pakistan

BackgroundIn Pakistan, the COVID-19 outbreak posed a significant challenge for healthcare workers in the country’s public hospitals. The HCWs faced several problems in terms of the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore this study investigated how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the medical staff at the public hospital in Sindh Province, Pakistan.MethodsIn this study, a qualitative exploratory design was used. Semi-Structure interviews (SSI) were conducted by using an open-indeed questionnaire (OIQ) for data collection. An inductive approach was used for theoretical data analysis. A total of 320 HCWs participated to complete the criteria of the study from 10 different public hospitals.ResultsThe study result showed the Sindh public hospital’s insufficient infrastructure, lack of health protective equipment, shortages of isolation rooms and beds, and emergencies during the COVID-19 pandemic caused HCWs to experience physical and psychological weariness, sleep disturbance, mental stress, and fear of infection.ConclusionThe study concluded that public hospitals’ insufficient infrastructure, furniture, emergency wards, and safety equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic significantly damaged HCWs’ physical and psychological health, generating fear of infection and sleep disturbance. Additionally, Sindh healthcare workers’ fear of illness and isolation may impair family connections.

Autism and bilingualism: A thematic analysis of practitioner perspectives in the United Kingdom.

At least 25% of autistic children worldwide have the potential to grow up in a bilingual environment. However, many autistic children are being denied opportunities to access additional languages and the cultural, familial and community connections that come with this. There is little evidence identifying the barriers to language learning and access, and no research addressing the perspectives of speech and language therapists (SLTs), who are crucial in supporting parents to make informed choices about bilingualism with their child. The aim of this research was to understand the experiences of SLTs working with autistic bilingual children, to understand the main considerations when working with families, and the opportunities and barriers for training, including the sources of information that current practice is based on. Twelve SLTs from across the United Kingdom were recruited for this study. All participants were experienced in working with autistic bilingual children and their families (M = 7 years, range 4-23 years). Semi-structured interviews were conducted and focused on the experiences of SLTs regarding familial bilingual experiences, the effect of sociocultural factors of practice, and the extent to which practice is based on current research. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Three central themes were identified from the interviews: (1) participants discussed parental uncertainties as to whether they were doing the right thing for their child, (2) while participants were in support of bilingualism, they were not always confident that they were providing the right advice and found it difficult to in keep up to date with relevant, evidence-based research, and (3) participants highlighted a need to shift towards a more inclusive and culturally diverse practice. This is the first qualitative study to understand the perspectives of SLTs working with autistic bilingual children. We identify several key difficulties in supporting access to language learning, and these findings have immediate and longer-term implications for supporting SLTs, and in turn, the children and families they support. What is already known on the subject Research suggests that autistic children currently have fewer opportunities to maintain bilingualism compared to neurotypical peers. Despite the lack of evidence, many families remain concerned that bilingualism will have a negative impact on their child's development. To date, little is known about the perspectives of speech and language therapists (SLTs) who play a significant role in supporting the development of autistic bilingual children. This is the first study to provide an in-depth qualitative analysis of the experiences of SLTs working with autistic bilingual children and their families in the United Kingdom. What this study adds The results highlight a number of reoccurring barriers in providing optimal support: first, frequently cited concerns about bilingualism from parents that link to a lack of understanding about autism and the role of SLTs more generally. Second, SLTs do not have confidence in the assessments and tools available and described a lack of emphasis on cultural factors in practice. Many SLTs were concerned about the limited options for resources and interventions available in other languages, which could be challenging for parents who were less proficient or confident communicating in English. Third, SLTs reported having limited opportunities to keep up to date with relevant research to support their decision-making processes. What are the clinical implications of this work? These results have several important implications for practice-they highlight the need for more inclusive practices where possible, a need for more diversity within the profession and further opportunities to be provided with evidence-based advice around good practice. The results also suggest a benefit of providing accessible, evidence-based resources for parents about autism and bilingualism, to ensure that research key findings are reaching families.

The Role of the Prison Library

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the role of the prison library. Structure: This essay first points out the background, definition and development of the prison library. Then, through an analysis of relevant literature and instances, the essay emphasises the important role that prison libraries play in offering educational opportunities, protecting prisoners' mental health, strengthening family connections, and supporting personal growth. Prison library is a vital part of the penal system by stopping the cycle of recidivism and promoting personal development. Conclusion: Prison libraries should be expected to take on the role of assisting inmates in their rehabilitation and achieving the library's goal of encouraging people’s development.

Karśniccy w Polsce Centralnej w źródłach epigraficznych z XVI–XVIII w.

The Karśnicki family from Łęczyckie and Sieradzkie are related to 4 epigraphic monuments. The first, now lost, recorded only in the work of Szymon Starowolski, Monumenta Sarmatarum, concerns Barbara Sarnowska, after her husband Sasin Karśnicka, buried in Łowicz in 1583, next to her uncle, the archbishop of Gniezno, Jan Przerębski. Three other monuments are located in the former Bernardine church in Ostrzeszów and concern members of the family Fundament Karśnicki, Jastrzębiec coat of arms: a baroque epitaph of Tomasz wojski (tribunus) of Ostrzeszów (died 1707), the tombstone of his son Jerzy Florian, lieutenant colonel in the service of the field hetman Stanisław Rzewuski, stolnik (dapifer) of Wieluń (died 1742) and the tombstone of Kazimierz judge of the Wieluń (died 1797), son of Franciszek of Kierzno, stolnik (dapifer) of Ostrzeszów and grandson of Tomasz. The authors present the genealogy of both families, family connections and political activity.

Bridging a transnational mother-daughter's relationship through a memoir

Bridging the past and present in a family is challenging, particularly if they grow up in a different culture. The hassle of life occupies most people's minds, which leads to abandoning one of the most fundamental kinships, the mother-daughter relationship. This phenomenon appears in a literary work written by Amy Tan entitled The Bonesetter's Daughter, where the protagonist acts apathetic toward her mother's willingness to preserve their family's lineage through a handwritten memoir.Reading the literary work through the lens of Memory Studies helps to understand the mother's unpleasant to hostile behaviours in the protagonist's upbringing; besides her harsh past that caused it, the daughter's obliviousness toward her mother's wishes in getting to know about her real grandmother and the history of their family heightened her disappointment. As an Asian, family ties serve as a vital source of identity and safeguard against life's challenges, and the bond is severed more due to the different communication styles.Realising the importance of reading the forgotten memoir written by her mother became the turning point of their relationship. By willingly reading the mother's memory, finally, the daughter creates a long-wished family connection.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on early intervention utilization and need for referral after NICU discharge in VLBW infants.

To examine the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on early intervention (EI) services in VLBW infants. 208 VLBW infants seen in NICU follow-up (FU) pre-COVID-19 were compared to 132 infants seen during COVID-19 at 4, 8 and 20 months corrected age (CA) in terms of enrollment in Child and Family Connections (CFC; intake agency for EI), EI therapies, need for CFC referral and Bayley scores. Infants seen during COVID-19 at 4, 8 and 20 months CA were 3.4 (OR, 95% CI 1.64, 6.98), 4.0 (1.77, 8.95) and 4.8 (2.10, 11.08) times more likely to need CFC referral at FU based on severity of developmental delay. Infants followed during COVID-19 had significantly lower mean Bayley cognitive and language scores at 20 months CA. VLBW infants seen during COVID-19 had significantly higher odds of needing EI and significantly lower cognitive and language scores at 20 months CA.

New biographical data on Adriaen van de Venne (1590-1662) and his family

In his biography of Adriaen Pietersz van de Venne in Het gulden cabinet van de edel vry schilderconst (1661-1662) Cornelis de Bie devotes a few lines to the painter’s early years. Until recently, this was all the information we had regarding the origins, childhood and training of this versatile artist. Fresh biographical data for Adriaen van de Venne and his family, however, has recently become available from the digitized archival records of Delft, Leiden, Rotterdam and Zeeland indexed in the online Ecartico database, an initiative of the University of Amsterdam. Combining these archival discoveries enhances our understanding of the milieu in which Adriaen grew up and of his family network. He is highly likely to have been born in 1590 (rather than 1589 as hitherto assumed) and baptized in the church in ’t Woudt, near Delft. His parents were migrants from the Southern Netherlands: the stocking maker Pieter van de Venne from Lier and Jannetgen Beuvincx from Tournai. Adriaen’s father died before his birth and his mother remarried in Delft in 1594 to the Mechelen weaver Laurens Wittocx. This second marriage produced a son called Salomon Lourens, who became a ‘coarse painter’ and bricklayer in Rotterdam. Adriaen remained in contact with this half-brother for his whole life. Adriaen relied heavily at first on his older brother Jan, who probably arranged an apprenticeship for him with Simon de Valck, a goldsmith friend in Leiden. He later followed his brother to Middelburg, where they set up a successful printing, publishing and art dealing firm. Shortly before Jan’s death in 1625, Adriaen moved to The Hague, from where he kept in contact with his half-brother Salomon Lourens in Rotterdam. They acted as joint guardians of their nephew Pieter (one of Jan’s sons), who also lived in Rotterdam and worked there as a parchment maker. Archive documents from Rotterdam testify to the close links that persisted between the branches of the family in Rotterdam and The Hague. Adriaen possibly used his Rotterdam family connections to sell his paintings in this city.

Strengthening Family Connectedness: Experiences of Families with Children with Behavioural Problems

Children’s behaviour is influenced by their family’s surroundings, interactions with their parents, and the connectedness that they experience within their family. Positive behaviour in children develops when they feel loved, supported, and safe in the presence of their parents. A weakened parent-child bond may lead to child behavioural problems and impact the ability of parents to create a positive social learning environment. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of families with children presenting with behavioural problems (FCBPs) in strengthening family connectedness. A qualitative research approach was used where semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 parents of children aged two to 18 reported to be presenting with behavioural problems. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data, giving rise to three themes: 1) understanding family connectedness; 2) parenting children with behavioural problems; and 3) family, community, and social work interventions. The findings of the study showed that FCBPs find it difficult to strengthen their relationships with their children. Their parenting capabilities are challenged when they have a strained relationship with their children presenting with behavioural problems (CBPs). The frustration of parents in the study was heightened by limited support received from family, community, and spouses, impacting their ability to strengthen the connectedness in the family. The study recommends that parents receive specialised social work intervention to learn new skills and strategies to strengthen their relationships and cope with the behaviour of their children. Furthermore, this study recommends that social workers receive training to deal with the risky behaviour of children and to support parents to strengthen their relationships with their CBPs.

‘Doing family’ in adversity: Findings from a qualitative study exploring family practices in alternative care settings in Thailand

AbstractThis paper presents findings from a qualitative study that explored children's and families' experiences of alternative care in Thailand. The study used arts‐based methods to engage 160 children living in a range of care settings. This included government and NGO‐run residential care settings (RCS), children's villages, Buddhist temples, migrant learning centres and foster care homes. Interviews were also conducted with 20 parents/guardians who had placed their children in care. Findings show that despite the alternative care system presenting significant challenges, the participants revealed how they strived to preserve their family connections, and how they are ‘doing family’ in adversity.

Supporting patients and their carers to participate in infection prevention and control activities: The views of patients, family members, and hospital staff from Bangladesh, Indonesia, and South Korea

Hand hygiene reminders for healthcare workers (HCWs) are commonly used to empower patients. However, this approach overlooks the role of family carers in delivering direct contact care in Asian countries. Limited knowledge exists regarding empowerment strategies for patients and their family carers in infection prevention and control (IPC) recommendations. This study aimed to provide a comprehensive exploration of IPC empowerment within the context of family involvement in care provision across Bangladesh, Indonesia, and South Korea. In-depth interviews were conducted in 5 tertiary-level hospitals in Bangladesh, Indonesia, and South Korea. A total of 64 participants were interviewed through 57 interviews, including 6 group interviews, comprising 2 groups: (1) patients and their family and private carers; and (2) HCWs. The study identified barriers to engaging patients and family carers in IPC measures. These included concerns about the patient-HCW hierarchical relationship, lack of knowledge about healthcare-associated infection, IPC, and patient zone, perceptions of IPC as a barrier to family connections, and disempowerment of patients in IPC due to family bonds. This study provides diverse perspectives on IPC empowerment, revealing challenges faced by patients, family carers, and HCWs. The interlaced relationship established by social norms of family carer provision hinders the empowerment of family carers. Acknowledging the cultural influence on health care arrangements and its implication for IPC empowerment is crucial in mitigating these barriers.

Parents’ perspectives on the role of kin in child-rearing: a qualitative study on Greenland’s universal parenting programme MANU

ABSTRACT Nurturing care and protection from parents and community in the early years of life are fundamental for a child’s development. The article aims to explore what relations parents see as meaningful in their child’s upbringing and how these are shaped, and how these perspectives are reflected in MANU. MANU is a universal parenting programme in Greenland. Ten of 40 interviews with parents were selected for the analysis of this article’s objective. Five grandparents were interviewed. Grandparents are the child’s closest extended family members and provide support to parents. Parents placed between one to 19 extended family members in their child’s network. Eating and being in nature together, along with familial and intergenerational connectedness, were deemed valuable and important aspects in child-rearing. Parents’ own experiences in childhood can influence and complicate how parents place their new family within the extended family. The MANU materials address aspects in the role of kin that parents and grandparents described in interviews. The format and delivery of MANU aims to be universal and mostly addresses Western epistemologies, but both Western and Inuit epistemologies coexists in Greenland. This article creates a window into the existing context parents navigate in. It is important that initiatives are built within this context to ensure they are relevant to families

Conclusion: Mental health and legal responses to the adolescent mental health crisis: Raising the bar on best interests and promoting family connectedness in divorcing families

AbstractWe are currently facing an unprecedented increase in adolescent mental health problems resulting in alarmingly high levels of depression, anxiety, and suicidality. Significant mental health problems among youth pose unique challenges to families in the process of separation and divorce, as well as to family law professionals across all disciplines. The current adolescent mental health crisis calls for new ways of approaching our work with high conflict families to promote family connectedness and shift away from adversarial approaches that may exacerbate conflict and further destabilize families. As a conclusion to the special issue on adolescent mental health needs, the authors make multidisciplinary best practices recommendations and advocate for systems level changes in recognition of the needs of youth in crisis at this pivotal developmental stage.

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Patients With CKD: Systematic Review of Qualitative Studies

COVID-19 disproportionately affects people with comorbidities, including chronic kidney disease (CKD). We describe the impact of COVID-19 on people with CKD and their caregivers. A systematic review of qualitative studies. Primary studies that reported the experiences and perspectives of adults with CKD and/or caregivers were eligible. MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL searched from database inception to October2022. Two authors independently screened the search results. Full texts of potentially relevant studies were assessed for eligibility. Any discrepancies were resolved by discussion with another author. A thematic synthesis was used to analyze the data. Thirty-four studies involving 1,962 participants were included. Four themes were identified: exacerbating vulnerability and distress (looming threat of COVID-19 infection, intensifying isolation, aggravating pressure on families); uncertainty in accessing health care (overwhelmed by disruption of care, confused by lack of reliable information, challenged by adapting to telehealth, skeptical about vaccine efficacy and safety); coping with self-management (waning fitness due to decreasing physical activity, diminishing ability to manage diet, difficulty managing fluid restrictions, minimized burden with telehealth, motivating confidence and autonomy); and strengthening sense of safety and support (protection from lockdown restrictions, increasing trust in care, strengthened family connection). Non-English studies were excluded, and inability to delineate themes based on stage of kidney and treatment modality. Uncertainty in accessing health care during the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated vulnerability, emotional distress, and burden, and led to reduced capacity to self-manage among patients with CKD and their caregivers. Optimizing telehealth and access to educational and psychosocial support may improve self-management and the quality and effectiveness of care during a pandemic, mitigating potentially catastrophic consequences for people with CKD. During the COVID-19 pandemic, patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) faced barriers and challenges to accessing care and were at an increased risk of worsened health outcomes. To understand the perspectives about the impact of COVID-19 among patients with CKD and their caregivers, we conducted a systematic review of 34 studies involving 1,962 participants. Our findings demonstrated that uncertainty in accessing care during the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the vulnerability, distress, and burden of patients and impaired their abilities for self-management. Optimizing the use of telehealth and providing education and psychosocial services may mitigate the potential consequences for people with CKD during a pandemic.

Fostering Low-Income Family Resilience: Findings from Walsh Family Resilience Framework in Tapos Depok, Indonesia

The family has a pivotal role in social development, as it represents the fundamental unit of society that contributes to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Consequently, policies geared towards enhancing family well-being, such as poverty reduction, health, and education, are indispensable. Inevitably, families encounter challenges and difficulties, especially for poor household with limited capacity and resources to buffer from shocks. Nevertheless, some families are able to rebound quickly and learn from their struggles, a phenomenon known as resilience. Family resilience denotes a family's strength capacity to rebound from adversity and emerge stronger and more empowered. Using a depth interview method in Tapos, Depok, West Java, Indonesia, this study examines family resilience based on Froma Walsh's Key Processes, analyzing the strengths that enable families to overcome adversity. Participants were selected through purposive sampling, comprising two underprivileged families that receive government social assistance. Despite coming from impoverished backgrounds, these families possess resilience values that enable them to effectively fulfill their social roles and realize their aspirations. The findings reveal that family spirituality, adaptability, family connectedness, and communities support facilitate family members to grow and thrive despite adversity.

"I Ran to Make a Point": Predicting and Preventing Youth Runaway from Foster Care.

Youth who run away from foster care experience danger to health and safety and increased risk of adverse child welfare outcomes. By applying a concurrent mixed-methods approach, this study aimed to develop a deeper understanding of runaway risk that used a person-centered lens and amplified youth voices. Collectively, this approach can inform service innovations to support youth placed in out-of-home care. Working with a foster care agency in Kansas, data sources comprised administrative data for youth ages 12 + in care, and interview data with 20 youth, 12 + in care. Quantitative analyses involved latent class analysis followed by multinomial logistic regression to investigate whether the population of youth in care was comprised of subpopulations with differential runaway risk and whether subpopulations would predict runaway behaviors. Qualitative analyses applied modified analytic inductive thematic analysis to explore critical life experiences that may act as risk or protective factors of running away from care. Results revealed four sub-populations which were characterized by their previous family and system experiences. Additionally, class membership, gender, number of siblings, and age were statistically significant predictors of runway behaviors. Youth interviews revealed five key themes on life experiences that mitigate or exacerbate youths' runaway behaviors. Recommendations resulting from this study were provided in three key areas: (1) improving family visitation and maintaining youth connections with self-identified family and non-relative kin; (2) supporting service approaches for youth that honor and amplify their voices, choices, and family connections; and (3) improving placement quality and individualization of services.

The 'Bogus Child' and the 'Big Uncle': The Impossible South Asian Family in Post-Imperial Britain.

Between 1962 and 1965, a broad definition of dependence allowed for the migration of Commonwealth Citizens to join working family members in Britain. This article investigates how the Home Office targeted male dependent youth as a category that could reduce unwanted immigration from the Commonwealth, particularly South Asia. Home Office officials obscured the stories of dependent migrants, constructed the figure of the 'bogus child', and denigrated male familial connections, which resulted in the denial of family reunion. Colonial assumptions about the mendacity of South Asians and the illegibility of South Asian family forms shaped British policy. The 1965 White Paper and the 1968 Commonwealth Immigrants Act foreclosed the possibility of a broad definition of family and consolidated the legitimacy of the cisheterosexual family. Home Office discussions dovetailed with an emergent common sense circulated in newspapers and public debate about the illegitimacy of the South Asian family in Britain. This article interrogates the racist reasoning of the Home Office and this emergent common sense not only to show how immigration policy generates racialization but also to reveal the specificity of South Asian racialization in the post-imperial social formation.

Artificial Intelligence and the Remodeling of the Arab Clan Culture: A Comprehensive Analysis

For public organizations looking to assure fairness and meritocracy, the clan system—which refers to the employment and advancement of people based on their family or social connections—has long been a problem. By increasing efficiency, decreasing bias, and facilitating improved decision-making, artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to drastically alter the clan system of public institutions. This study employs a qualitative methodology to offer insightful explanations of how AI can influence the clan system in public organizations. Qualitative research can aid in the development of responsible and efficient AI systems that support equality, empowerment, and effectiveness by examining the experiences and viewpoints of people participating in hiring and promotion processes. The study finds that artificial intelligence can lessen the impact of clan ties in the hiring process and guarantee that the best individuals are chosen for the position. Additionally, AI-powered tools can be used to find any irregularities in the hiring process and offer suggestions for improvement. AI can be used to evaluate performance and make promotion decisions in addition to recruitment. AI can assist in ensuring that promotions are based on merit rather than clan allegiance by evaluating employee performance data and spotting patterns and anomalies. Additionally, AI can offer insight into the knowledge and training that will best increase performance, enabling public agencies to give their staff members specialized training and development opportunities. In general, this study concludes that the use of these technologies is ethical and transparent. It is important to ensure that they are applied ethically and transparently to avoid unintended consequences and ensure that they benefit all people equally. In addition, the study emphasizes the importance of considering the cultural and social context in which AI is implemented to ensure that it is consistent with community values and norms.

A cross-sectional study of mental health and well-being among youth in military-connected families.

The study objective was to compare the mental health and risk-taking behaviour of Canadian youth in military-connected families to those not in military-connected families in a contemporary sample. We hypothesized that youth in military-connected families have worse mental health, lower life satisfaction and greater engagement in risk-taking behaviours than those not in military-connected families. This cross-sectional study used 2017/18 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children in Canada survey data, a representative sample of youth attending Grades 6 to 10. Questionnaires collected information on parental service and six indicators of mental health, life satisfaction and risk-taking behaviour. Multivariable Poisson regression models with robust error variance were implemented, applying survey weights and accounting for clustering by school. This sample included 16 737 students; 9.5% reported that a parent and/or guardian served in the Canadian military. After adjusting for grade, sex and family affluence, youth with a family connection to the military were 28% more likely to report low well-being (95% CI: 1.17-1.40), 32% more likely to report persistent feelings of hopelessness (1.22-1.43), 22% more likely to report emotional problems (1.13-1.32), 42% more likely to report low life satisfaction (1.27-1.59) and 37% more likely to report frequent engagement in overt risk-taking (1.21-1.55). Youth in military-connected families reported worse mental health and more risk-taking behaviours than youth not in military-connected families. The results suggest a need for additional mental health and well-being supports for youth in Canadian military-connected families and longitudinal research to understand underlying determinants that contribute to these differences.

Feasibility of the NCTSN breakthrough parenting curriculum: A pilot study of an online trauma-informed training for birth parents involved in the child welfare system

Unresolved trauma can negatively impact parenting and increase chances of child maltreatment. With the passing of the Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) in 2018, new attention has been focused on strengthening family connections and expanding the community-based service array focused on preventing maltreatment and out of home placement. The purpose of this paper is twofold: (1) to describe preliminary outcomes from a pilot evaluation of a new curriculum teaching parents trauma-informed strategies to address and resolve their own trauma while supporting healthy attachment; and (2) assess the feasibility of conducting a large scale study. Forty parents involved in the state child welfare system were recruited to participate. Statistical analyses included T-tests, propensity score analysis, and repeated measures MANOVA. Assessments, which occurred at Pre and Post for the intervention group and comparable times for the quasi-waitlist group, indicated the following: A high retention rate (72%) for the intervention group, an increase in parent knowledge of trauma, skills to address trauma behavior, and parent well-being for the intervention, relative to the waitlist comparison group; and a decrease in child problem behavior in the intervention, relative to the waitlist group. Fidelity data was strong, with trainers completing 100% of activities for each module. Parental satisfaction in the intervention group was also high and costs to implement the training were reasonable. The findings of this pilot study provide strong support for evaluating the BPC in a large-scale outcome investigation.

Examining Foster Care Outcomes for American Indian Children in the Context of the Indian Child Welfare Act.

The history of the child welfare system and related institutions with American Indian children and families has been marked by numerous atrocities, including unnecessary separations, assimilation, and trauma. The Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) was enacted in 1978 to promote the stability and security of American Indian tribes and families. For children involved in the child welfare system, ICWA prioritizes the placement of American Indian children with family or tribal members. This paper examines placement outcomes for American Indian children using recent national data over 3years from the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System. Multivariate regression analyses showed that American Indian children were significantly less likely to be placed with same-race/ethnicity caretakers than their non-American Indian counterparts. In addition, American Indian children were not more likely to be placed with relatives or have trial home placement compared to non-American Indian children. These findings suggest that ICWA is not reaching its intended objectives regarding placement goals specified in the law regarding American Indian children. These policy shortcomings have significant implications for American Indian children, families, and tribes in terms of well-being, family connection, and cultural loss.