History Of Foster Care Research Articles

Catherine E.RymphRaising Government Children: A History of Foster Care and the American Welfare StateChapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2017. 252 p. $90.00; $29.93 (pbk.).

Mention “foster family care” in the context of the US and the thoughts that come to mind are almost all negative: biological families torn asunder by poverty and drugs; neglected and abused children, often African-American, at the mercy of a heartless bureaucracy; and so on. Children who have passed through the foster care system are under-represented among those with post-secondary education and over-represented among the country's prison population; they are far more likely than non-foster children to be prescribed psychotropic medication. Yet, when the foundations for today's foster care system were laid in the 1930s, reformers’ hopes were high that this new approach, managed by professional caseworkers and implemented by trained caregivers, would make a signal contribution to child welfare. Institutionalization of dependent children in orphanages, group homes, and closed facilities would become a vestige of the past, limited to the deeply behaviorally or developmentally flawed. How, Rymph asks, did this example of New Deal social engineering go wrong? She identifies so many flaws that it would not be possible to list all of them in a short review. But a few stand out. The framers of the system had no idea that poverty, inextricably intertwined with race, would become the primary reason for the state to legally remove children from their birth parents. They failed to recognize that, given deeply ingrained devaluation of care work, typically the domain of women, underpaid foster families were essentially subsidizing the system. They did not anticipate the revolution in women's labor force participation, or the reluctance of the state to support measures to reconcile work and family life. Stigma was attached both to paid foster mothers and to birth mothers receiving “welfare” (for example, Aid to Families with Dependent Children or AFDC) because both were perceived to be receiving monetary compensation for motherhood. Foster care became a sort of ersatz family policy, filling the gap caused by the absence of anything resembling a basic minimum income or systematic programs to support families in areas such as housing, health, and child care. The author is careful to point out that there are many examples of engaged case workers, loving foster parents, and children who benefit from the system. But not nearly enough. The most recent tendency, as she describes in the closing pages of the book, is to promote permanency, whether by preserving biological families, adoption, or the recent innovation “fost-adopt” where children are fostered with parents who are looking eventually to adopt. None is a panacea. Preserving biological families can lock children into households from which, by any reasonable measure, they should be extracted. The supply of children for adoption greatly exceeds the demand for them, a situation that was exacerbated with the expansion of adoption from China and Russia. “Fost-adopt” has been criticized for encouraging the breakup of biological families, disproportionately African-American. It threatens what was the overriding objective of foster care as designed mid-century: to temporarily remove children from their biological families until the latter can get back on their feet. The book would make for excellent reading in any course on public social policy. While purely concerned with the United States, it may be of special interest to experts working in the former Soviet Union, where many countries have been attempting to reform the entrenched orphanage system, in which children have traditionally been placed by parents emigrating for work. Index, bibliography.

Raising government children: a history of foster care and the American welfare state

"Raising government children: a history of foster care and the American welfare state." Journal of Children and Poverty, 24(1), pp. 85–86

Applications of Machine Learning Methods to Predict Readmission and Length-of-Stay for Homeless Families: The Case of Win Shelters in New York City

ABSTRACTNew York City faces the challenge of an ever-increasing homeless population with almost 60,000 people currently living in city shelters. In 2015, approximately 25% of families stayed longer than nine months in a shelter, and 17% of families with children that exited a homeless shelter returned to the shelter system within 30 days of leaving. This suggests that “long-term” shelter residents and those that re-enter shelters contribute significantly to the rise of the homeless population living in city shelters and indicate systemic challenges to finding adequate permanent housing. This article focuses on our preliminary work with Win (Women-in-Need) shelters to understand the factors that predict readmission and length-of-stay of homeless families. We create a unified, comprehensive database of the homeless population being served by Win shelters, accounting for more than 6,000 homeless families. We apply logistic regression models and an unsupervised clustering algorithm to identify predictors of re-entry and long-term length-of-stay. Citizenship, age, medical conditions, employment, and history of foster care or shelter stays as a child are found to be significant predictors. The results of the K-means clustering identify three primary groups, consistent with previous typologies characterized by transitionally homeless, episodically homeless, and chronically homeless.

Characteristics of foster care history as risk factors for psychiatric disorders among youth in care.

This study evaluates foster care history characteristics as risk factors for psychopathology. We examine characteristics of youths' foster care histories separately and as a gestalt (i.e., identification of latent classes). Six mental health disorders and lifetime suicide attempt were assessed via in-person interviews with a representative sample of older adolescents in California foster care (n = 706). Information on respondents' foster care histories were obtained from state administrative data. Half of the sample (47.3%) screened positive for a psychiatric disorder and 1/4 (25.2%) had attempted suicide. When assessed individually, placement instability predicted posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), alcohol and substance use problems, and suicide attempt. Primary placement type and maltreatment type were also associated with 1 or more psychiatric disorders. When foster care characteristics were considered in concert, 6 latent classes were identified: veterans, returners, treated stayers, midrangers, late stayers, and disquieted drifters. Three latent classes (returners, late stayers, and disquieted drifters) were at increased risk of psychiatric problems relative to 1 or more of the other latent classes. Both separate foster care characteristics and the gestalt of youths' foster care histories identified risks of psychiatric problems. Results from these analyses can inform the development of risk assessment tools. (PsycINFO Database Record

Raising Government Children: A History of Foster Care and the American Welfare State by Catherine E. Rymph

Raising Government Children: A History of Foster Care and the American Welfare State by Catherine E. Rymph

Non-kinship family foster care in Egypt

This article describes the history and philosophy of foster care in Egypt. While journal readers will be familiar with the issues affecting their own work, they are less likely to know about fostering in other countries. This can be limiting as international comparisons can give practitioners, researchers and educators insights into their own work as well as skills to support children from different cultural backgrounds. The article shows that foster care in Egypt is not a recent development, indeed it dates back to ancient Egypt and the Egyptian kings, but the current legal system was formalised in the first half of the 20th century. While fostering services are usually based on western paradigms, the Egyptian approach has several distinct features due to its development through authentication processes that match services to the needs and cultural backgrounds of the children concerned. Explanations for these differences are given.

Pregnancy and Childbearing Among Young Adults Who Experienced Foster Care.

This study explores rates of early pregnancy and parenthood among a sample of young adults ( N = 215), ages 18-22, with a history of foster care. The study also compares the educational attainment, financial resources, and homelessness experiences of young adults who became parents to those who did not. By age 21, 49% of the young women became pregnant, and 33% of young men reported getting someone pregnant. Over a quarter of participants experienced parenthood, which was associated with lower educational attainment, less employment, not having a checking or savings account, and a history of homelessness. Gender moderated the association between parenthood and employment such that males who were parents were more likely than female parents to be employed. Given that these young adults were at risk of early pregnancy and parenthood regardless of emancipation status and across several racial/ethnic groups, the results suggest a need for early pregnancy prevention efforts for all youth with child welfare involvement as well as improving resources and support for those who become young parents.

Supportive housing program for homeless families: Foster care outcomes and best practices

PurposeThis study is an outcome evaluation of Cottage Housing Incorporated's Serna Village Program (CHI), a supportive housing program serving homeless families in Sacramento, California. MethodsThis quasi-experimental study examined a sample of 293 children and youth who lived with their parents in CHI between 2002 and 2009. Results71% of the children had a history of foster care before CHI; 10% of the youth reentered foster care after graduating from CHI (compared with reentry rates of 20–40% from other studies). The CHI youth overall spent less time in care after foster care reentry when compared to other Sacramento County youth. Child welfare costs of the sample before entering CHI were $1,313,262, yet at reentry, child welfare costs were $295,632 (2.5 to 5years after leaving CHI). ConclusionsChild welfare recidivism rates and total child welfare costs after reentry may decrease for homeless families by providing them with permanent housing and support services.

The Imaginary Companions Created by Children Who Have Lived in Foster Care.

This study was designed to provide some preliminary information about the imaginary companions created by children who have lived in foster care, including prevalence rates and qualitative descriptions of the imaginary companions. We were also interested in how descriptions of the imaginary companions created by children who had lived in foster care compare to those of other children. Children with a history of foster care (n =21) and children from a low socioeconomic status community sample (n =39) were interviewed about imaginary companions. Twenty-six children (43.3%) reported having imaginary companions. Although having an imaginary companion has sometimes been believed to be more common in children with a history of maltreatment, in this preliminary study, prevalence rates did not differ between the two groups of children. In addition, both groups of children described companions that were a positive source of entertainment, friendship, and social support.

Mental Illness, Substance Use, and Homelessness Among Youth With a History of Foster Care: Identifying Needs and Opportunities for Early Screening and Transition Support

Mental Illness, Substance Use, and Homelessness Among Youth With a History of Foster Care: Identifying Needs and Opportunities for Early Screening and Transition Support

Homelessness, Unsheltered Status, and Risk Factors for Mortality: Findings From the 100 000 Homes Campaign.

People who live in unsheltered situations, such as the streets, often have poorer health, less access to health care, and an increased risk of premature mortality as compared with their sheltered counterparts. The objectives of this study were to (1) compare the characteristics of people experiencing homelessness who were sleeping primarily in unsheltered situations with those who were accessing homeless shelters and other sheltered situations, (2) identify correlates of unsheltered status, and (3) assess the relationship between unsheltered status and increased risk of mortality. Using primary data collected as part of the 100 000 Homes Campaign-a national effort to help communities find homes for vulnerable and chronically homeless Americans-we estimated 2 generalized linear mixed models to understand the correlates of unsheltered status and risk factors for mortality. Independent variables included demographic characteristics; history of homelessness, incarceration, foster care, and treatment for mental illness or substance use; sources of income; and past and present medical conditions. The study sample comprised 25489 people experiencing homelessness who responded to an assessment of their housing and health as part of the 100 000 Homes Campaign from 2008 to 2014. In the full model, the following characteristics were associated with unsheltered status: being a veteran (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.10); having <high school education (aOR = 1.09); accessing informal income (aOR = 2.37); and having a history of foster care (aOR = 1.14), chronic homelessness (aOR = 1.36 for 1-5 years, aOR = 1.95 for >5 years), incarceration (aOR = 1.32), or substance use (aOR = 1.10 for ever abusing drugs or alcohol, aOR = 1.13 for ever using intravenous drugs, aOR = 1.98 for drinking alcohol every day for past month). Being unsheltered (aOR = 1.12), being female (aOR = 1.22), or receiving entitlements (aOR = 1.63) increased respondents' odds of having risk factors for mortality. These findings highlight the need to assertively reach out to vulnerable populations and provide interventions to assist them during their transition-for example, as they exit incarceration or age out of foster care. Such a response could prevent unsheltered homelessness and thereby address increased mortality risk. Connecting people with resources to increase their access to employment, benefits, and other sources of income is especially important.

Three sides to a foster care story: An examination of the lived experiences of young adults, their foster care case record, and the space in between

Between 2000 and 2013, the U.S. foster care caseload decreased while the number of children in adoptive homes doubled. These shifts were a result of federal policies prioritizing the moving of children from state custody into legal permanence (e.g., adoption and guardianship) with the presumption they will live “happily ever after.” This study used a mixed-methods multiphase, iterative process to illuminate the congruencies and incongruencies between the young adults' accounts of their foster care experiences and the legalistic, system-focused view of their experiences. This study highlights the limitations of administrative data as the primary source for evaluating systems, assessing child well-being, and for understanding child welfare outcomes. An important consideration for assessing the success of the child welfare system in finding safe, stable, permanent placements for children involved with the child welfare system is including the perceptions of the young adults with foster care histories. There are often three sides to a foster care story: the lived experiences of the participant, the official case record, and the space in between. This study begins to illuminate this space, through an understanding of the quality and enduring nature of these relationships as reported by young adults who lives were impacted by their foster care histories. Child welfare records indicate a legal permanency status, but the interviews address the enduring nature and quality of the relationships.

Exploring the impact of network characteristics on substance use outcomes among homeless former foster youth.

This study examined network structure differences between homeless youth with and without a history of foster care and the impact of network position and location on substance use outcomes among former foster youth specifically. Sociometric and individual-level data were collected from a cross-sectional community-based sample (n = 814) of homeless youth from drop-in centers in Los Angeles across three points in time. To determine the structure and position of foster youth in the larger homeless network, structural variables and regressions examining the impact of network structure on substance use were calculated. Results indicated that former foster youth were more likely to have low connectivity compared to homeless youth without a history of foster care. Furthermore, the impact of structure on substance use among former foster youth varied by panel; location in the core was significantly associated with recent and lifetime rates of substance use. Results highlight the need for a more in-depth understanding of the impact of network changes over time and their effect on substance use outcomes in this population.

Determinants of underage induced abortion--the 1987 Finnish Birth Cohort study.

Although underage pregnancies often end in induced abortion, data on girls who undergo termination of pregnancy are lacking. Our aim was to identify determinants of underage induced abortion and compare them with those of childbirth. All girls born in 1987 in Finland surviving the perinatal period (n = 29 041) were included in the study and divided into three study groups: Girls undergoing induced abortion (n = 1041, 3.6%) or childbirth (n = 395, 1.4%) at <18 years of age and girls with no underage pregnancies (n = 27 605, 95.0%). Shared risk factors of underage induced abortion and childbirth included early onset behavioral and emotional disorders [adjusted OR 1.9 (1.4-2.5) and 2.7 (95% CI 1.8-3.9)], a history of foster care [1.5 [1.1-1.9] and 3.0 [2.3-4.1)], and socioeconomic factors, including living in a family receiving income support [1.8 (1.5-2.1) and 3.4 (2.7-4.4)], respectively. Specific risk factors of underage induced abortion were psychoactive substance use disorders [2.2 (1.3-3.5)], having a mother who smoked during pregnancy [1.5 (1.3-1.8)] or had undergone induced abortion [1.8 (1.5-2.2)]. Coping with a chronic physical illness [0.7 (0.5-0.9)], and perinatal problems [0.6 (0.4-0.7)] were inversely associated with underage induced abortion. The traditionally acknowledged determinants of underage childbirth played a less prominent role in induced abortion. Novel risk factors of underage induced abortion were found, including severe substance abuse and adverse maternal reproductive history, and should be addressed at all levels offering youth healthcare and social welfare services.

A Social Capital Approach to Identifying Correlates of Perceived Social Support Among Homeless Youth

The ability of homeless youth to accumulate resources through their personal relationships with others (i.e. social capital) is often associated with improved outcomes across multiple domains. Despite growing evidence documenting the heterogeneity of homeless youths’ relationships, many youth still experience adversities or lack access to resources. Thus, a more comprehensive investigation of homeless youths’ sources of social capital and the factors associated with these networks is needed. This current study aimed: (1) to delineate the composition of social support networks of homeless youth and (2) to identify salient correlates of these different sources of social support. A sample of 1046 youth, ages 13–24, were recruited from three homeless youth drop-in-centers. Youth completed a computerized self-administered survey and a social network interview. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine whether youths’ homelessness backgrounds, victimization experiences, and risky behaviors were associated with different emotional and instrumental forms of social capital. Overall rates of homeless youths’ social support from all sources were low. Rates of emotional support were greater than instrumental support, with youth with histories of physical abuse, street victimization, and foster care reporting more emotional support from some sources. Street victimized youth were significantly more likely to report having emotional and instrumental support from all sources of capital. Findings suggest the need for careful consideration of youths’ support systems when providing services to homeless youth. Specifically, it may be important to assess the common supports utilized by youth in order to maximize youths’ social networks.

School Design Together by Pamela Woolner

Book Reviews 202 families,” and yet, Jacobs continues, “the United States has moved in the opposite direction” (271-272). Indeed, Australia’s National Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children from Their Families and Canada’s Indian Residential School Agreement and Truth and Reconciliation Commission have made strides in accounting for these disasters in Indian child welfare policy. Prime Ministers in both countries have issued formal apologies to Indigenous peoples for the government’s role in a host of colonial programs targeted at undermining Native sovereignty. The U.S. government, meanwhile, remains noticeably silent. Jacobs’ incisive history will provide critical historical context for all those involved in Indigenous children’s policy. The transnational scale of this study rightly places the history of adoption and foster care in an important global perspective, while connecting these unique postwar polices to longer histories of Indigenous child removal around the world. Yet the broad scope of Jacobs’ study also means that, at times, she struggles to fully flesh out the motivations and intentions behind the various historical actors involved in the Indian adoption process. This is partly due to the lack of definitive studies on both adoptive families and adoptees. At the end of her work, Jacobs points to Susan Devan Harness’ study of 25 Indian adoptees in the United States. Harness finds that roughly 44 percent endured some form of abuse by their non-Native adoptive families, and roughly 32 percent struggle with substance abuse. Jacobs rightly admits that this sample size is small, but it points to the heartbreaking outcomes of these nefarious programs. More of this kind of research, along with Jacobs’ important scholarship, will only help to further pull back the curtain on these policies, in the hopes that the United States can make important strides towards reconciliation. Review by Alessandra La Rocca Link Alessandra La Rocca Link is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of History at the University of Colorado at Boulder. School Design Together Pamela Woolner, editor (2015). London: Routledge, 212 pages. $53.95 paperback; ISBN: 978-0-415-84076-7 The multi-dimensional nature of schools makes them among the more complex buildings to procure, design, use and maintain. Schools become even more complex when the varied stakeholders collaborate with each other in the processes of financing, designing, building and inhabiting them. School Design Together advocates for collaboration of educators and architects at all these stages, arguing that collaboration is not only possible but vital for the advancement of both fields and for realizing environments better suited for communities of teachers and Book Reviews 203 learners. Writing from their respective specializations, the authors of this edited volume discuss educational environments from the perspectives of space-makers and users. The book addresses participatory design as the methodology to accomplish collaboration, as the title implies—school design together. The book’s 10 chapters are organized into two parts. Part 1, The Design and Use of Schools, complicates the school as more than simply a building type composed of classrooms and long corridors, but rather a social and physical space experienced by different people. The chapter by Peter Blundell Jones gives an overview of school buildings’ architectural history (mainly English), describing how certain ideas about the building type were historically configured and that some of those concepts have remained while others have been challenged over time. Karl Wall’s chapter is about how the maintenance and organization of educational environments and environmental qualities including light impact learning-related activities. Geraint Franklin, in his chapter, discusses the different governmental programs and construction management practices of building primary schools in the first decade of the twenty-first century in England. Jennifer Singer’s chapter is on the outcomes of the school design panel from the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) in England, and how good school design is evolved through programs, people and places. In his chapter, Neil Gislason investigates the history of open-plan high schools, whose success or failure depended on staff training in how to teach in non-traditional classroom configurations. The chapters in Part 1 offer a straightforward overview of school design and introduce the different stakeholders and experiences...

Experiences and needs of homeless youth with a history of foster care

Youth exiting the foster care system through emancipation are at an increased risk for homelessness and adverse social, health, and financial outcomes. However, because youth exiting foster care are difficult to locate once homeless, few studies have examined their needs and experiences on the streets. Quantitative interviews were conducted in a large multi-site pilot study of youth (N=601) seeking homeless services in Denver (n=201), Austin (n=200) and Los Angeles (n=200). Over one-third of the sample (n=221) included youth who reported a history of foster care involvement. The study aimed to 1) describe youth with a history of foster care in terms of their homeless contexts (primary living situations, time homeless, peer substance use, transience, and victimization) and areas of need (education, income generation, mental health, and substance use); 2) determine how homeless youth with foster care history differ from their non-foster care homeless counterparts; and 3) identify factors associated with longer duration of homelessness among youth with a history of foster care. Findings suggest that youth with a history of foster care were generally living in precarious situations, characterized as dangerous and unstable, and they had significant needs in regards to education, income generation, mental health, and substance use treatment. Although few differences were observed between youth who reported a history of foster care and those who did not, foster youth reported greater childhood maltreatment and longer duration of homelessness. Foster care youth who reported greater transience and childhood physical neglect, as well as those who were living with relatives, friends, foster parents, or in facilities in the 6months preceding the interview reported a longer duration of homelessness. Implications are discussed for child welfare and homeless youth service organizations regarding the unique needs of foster care youth who become homeless.

History of foster care among homeless adults with mental illness in Vancouver, British Columbia: a precursor to trajectories of risk.

BackgroundIt is well documented that a disproportionate number of homeless adults have childhood histories of foster care placement(s). This study examines the relationship between foster care placement as a predictor of adult substance use disorders (including frequency, severity and type), mental illness, vocational functioning, service use and duration of homelessness among a sample of homeless adults with mental illness. We hypothesize that a history of foster care predicts earlier, more severe and more frequent substance use, multiple mental disorder diagnoses, discontinuous work history, and longer durations of homelessness.MethodsThis study was conducted using baseline data from two randomized controlled trials in Vancouver, British Columbia for participants who responded to a series of questions pertaining to out-of-home care at 12 months follow-up (n = 442). Primary outcomes included current mental disorders; substance use including type, frequency and severity; physical health; duration of homelessness; vocational functioning; and service use.ResultsIn multivariable regression models, a history of foster care placement independently predicted incomplete high school, duration of homelessness, discontinuous work history, less severe types of mental illness, multiple mental disorders, early initiation of drug and/or alcohol use, and daily drug use.ConclusionsThis is the first Canadian study to investigate the relationship between a history of foster care and current substance use among homeless adults with mental illness, controlling for several other potential confounding factors. It is important to screen homeless youth who exit foster care for substance use, and to provide integrated treatment for concurrent disorders to homeless youth and adults who have both psychiatric and substance use problems.Trials registration numbersBoth trials are registered with the International Standard Randomized Control Trial Number Register and were assigned ISRCTN57595077 (Vancouver At Home Study: Housing First plus assertive community treatment versus congregate housing plus supports versus treatment as usual) and ISRCTN66721740 (Vancouver At Home Study: Housing First plus intensive case management versus treatment as usual) on September 9, 2012.

Regulatory skill as a resilience factor for adults with a history of foster care: a pilot study.

Individuals with a history of foster care (FC) are at elevated risk for emotion regulation-related mental illness. The purpose of the current study was to characterize regulatory function in a group of adults with a history of FC (N = 26) relative to those without a history of FC (N = 27) and how regulatory function moderates adverse caregiving-related outcomes (daily cortisol production and trait anxiety). Self-report items (anxiety, emotion regulation strategies, inhibitory control, caregiving history) were collected along with more objective measures (computerized task and salivary cortisol). Inhibitory control was assessed via self-report and a computerized task (emotional face go/nogo). Results showed that for adults with a history of FC, higher levels of inhibitory control were associated with higher accuracy on the emotional face go/nogo task and greater reported use of the emotion regulation strategy cognitive reappraisal. Greater use of cognitive reappraisal in turn was associated with healthier stress-related outcomes (decreased trait anxiety and steeper sloped cortisol production throughout the day). Dose-response associations were observed between self-reported regulatory skills and FC experiences (i.e., number of placements and age when exited foster care). These findings suggest that adverse caregiving can have long-term influences on mental health that extend into adulthood; however, individual differences in regulatory skills moderate these outcomes and may be an important target for intervention following caregiving adversity. © 2014 The Authors. Developmental Psychobiology published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 57: 1–16, 2015.

Emerging Versus Emancipating

Emerging adulthood has been defined as a distinct developmental stage in which youth experience opportunities for identity development and transition toward independence. While this period has been examined for youth in the general population, less is known about how foster youth experience this transition. This study uses qualitative interviews with 20 foster youth to understand their experiences during emerging adulthood. Consensual qualitative research is used to analyze data and develop core themes around youth experiences. Foster youth not only report sharing many characteristics with youth in the general population during this stage but also have experiences that are uniquely tied to their foster care history. Implications for policy and practice are discussed.