Sibling Separation Research Articles

Comparing the effects of infant maternal and sibling separation on adolescent behavior in rats (Rattus norvegicus).

Maternal separation in early life has been observed to have lasting, detrimental effects that impair personal and social development and can persist into adulthood. Maternal separation during infancy can be most detrimental during adolescence, leading to long-term adverse effects on development and social behavior. This research study compared the effects of sibling and maternal separation in infancy on anxiety, sociability, or memory later in adolescence (postnatal day, PND, 50-58) in male and female Long-Evans Rats (Rattus norvegicus). Rat pups were semi-randomly assigned into eight conditions for daily isolation (PND 1-14). The groups were separated by the duration of isolation between 15 minutes (control group) or 180 minutes (experimental group) and the sex of the rat. They were also separated by comfort conditions with the dam present in an adjoining cage versus not present and siblings present or not present during isolation. The result was a 2 (15-min vs. 180-min) x 2 (dam vs. no dam) x 2 (single vs. grouped) x 2 (male vs. female) design. Once pups had reached adolescence (PND 50), researchers tested for differences in anxiety, activity, and social behavior using elevated plus-maze, open field habituation, a three-chamber social interaction, and a social discrimination task. Results indicate that longer isolation was more stressful and caused lower body weight. The female rats showed more anxious behavior in the open field but only if they were in the shorter isolation group. Social interaction showed that the rats isolated with the dam had different effects of isolation. In males, shorter isolation with the dam increased sociability but decreased sociability in females. These complicated findings may be due to the effects of inoculation, which describes how moderate stress combined with comfort may produce adaptation or immunity to stress and affect males and females differently.

Barriers and facilitators of sibling relationships of youth in foster care from an ecological perspective

For children in foster care sibling support is associated with better mental health and resiliency. Despite the findings on the importance of sibling relationships, siblings are frequently separated from each other. Previous research has explored sibling separation and barriers to placing siblings together. This qualitative study aims to identify barriers and facilitators to sibling relationships from the perspective of those formerly in foster care. A thematic analysis was completed to explore the experiences of 11 adults with foster care experience and identify perceived barriers and facilitators to sibling relationships. Results are interpreted through an ecological framework. Barriers and facilitators are identified at the individual, microsystem, exosystem, and macrosystem levels. Specifically, barriers and facilitators relating to visitation, placement, foster parents, child welfare workers, the foster care system, and the legal system are discussed. Participants also provided recommendations for overcoming barriers and finding ways to facilitate relationships between siblings in the different levels of the ecological system.

Effects of early social separation on the behaviour of kittens of the domestic cat

For many mammals the presence of the mother and/or siblings is an important component of an individual's early developmental environment, and lack of these social influences can have long-lasting effects on morphological, physiological, and behavioural development. Surprisingly, little is known about the effects of premature maternal and sibling separation in the domestic cat, even though hand-raising is rather common due to the large number of orphaned and rescued kittens. In this study we assessed 62 nine-week-old kittens (32 mother-reared, 14 orphans hand-raised with siblings and 16 hand-raised orphan singletons) in three behavioural tests: a handling (struggle) test, a food defence (meat) test, and a separation/confinement test. Additionally, we used infrared thermography to evaluate stress-induced changes in eye and nose temperatures in the separation/confinement test. We found no differences in body weight between groups at weaning at 9 weeks of age, but we found behavioural differences between the control and the two orphan groups in all three tests. Compared to control, mother-reared kittens, orphans raised with siblings and orphan singletons struggled sooner in the struggle test, plus vocalised more and exhibited greater locomotor activity in the separation/confinement test. In the meat test, only the orphans raised with siblings, but not the singletons, started consuming the raw meat stimulus sooner than control individuals. Facial thermography showed a general trend for eye and nose temperatures to decrease in response to the separation/confinement test, with no differences between rearing conditions. Our findings show that the early social environment is influential in shaping the long-term behaviour and physiology of kittens. The behavioural differences between mother-reared and hand-raised individuals should be considered for the well-being of the animals when fostering and during the adoption process. Our results suggest that, as expected, developing without the presence of the mother and raised by humans (with or without siblings) has an effect on the behaviour of kittens to weaning age and possibly even into adult life.

Sibling Separation: Learning from Those with Former Foster Care Experiences

Abstract Sibling relationships of youth in foster care are often complicated as many youth are separated from their sibling(s) at one point or another. Quantitative studies have identified ways in which sibling placement influences youth outcomes. Fewer qualitative studies have been conducted to understand youth perspectives about their sibling relationships. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine sibling relationships and sibling separation amongst adults with prior foster care experience. Thematic analysis indicated two overarching themes: ‘Sibling Separation was Common’ and ‘Effects of Sibling Separation’. Each theme was comprised of multiple sub-themes that are discussed in detail and explored through an ambiguous loss lens. Recommendations and implications for supporting sibling relationships for youth in care are provided.

Exploration of Twin Separation and Adult Experiences: A Qualitative Study

Many researchers have studied the long-term impact of nontwin sibling separation in foster care, but little is known about the separation of twins. In this study, we examined how one specific set of adult fraternal twin sisters interpreted their personal experiences of separation from each other while in foster care and whether this experience affected their interpersonal relationships. The researchers relied on the theoretical foundations of attachment theory to support the use of existing literature and to integrate the research findings into current child welfare practice for human services professionals. Through personal interviews, each twin was asked to recall experiences from foster care and comment on the effects of being separated from their twin. Thematic analysis of the interview data and observations of the interview process helped to identify four themes: forming successful attachments, mental health issues, trauma history, and number and type of placements experienced. Implications for human services professionals working in social services agencies with youth in foster care are also discussed.

Sibling Separation and Placement Instability for Children in Foster Care.

U.S. foster care policy prioritizes keeping siblings together while in foster care. However, prior research on the effects of sibling placement is limited in sample, measures, and research design. In this study, we use data on 2,297 children from an urban county in years 2015-2019 and assess how sibling separation is associated with placement instability. We use multilevel parametric hazard modeling with adjustments for child, sibling, and placement characteristics. Findings indicate that children placed with at least one sibling are less likely to experience a placement move and are specifically less likely to experience a non-progress move (e.g., moves due to problems or negative experiences in their foster home). For larger sibling groups, sibling separation was not consistently associated with placement instability and there was little difference in placement instability for children placed with some versus all siblings. Results were robust to differences in measurement and model specification. Black or Hispanic race/ethnicity was also associated with increased risk of instability, and associations between sibling separation and instability were stronger for Black children, implying enhanced efforts to maintain sibling groups may be especially beneficial for Black children. Overall, findings provide support for the continuation and expansion of policies promoting sibling placement.

38.4 ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS IN FOSTER CARE SIBLING PLACEMENT

The objective of this presentation is to enhance clinicians’ understanding of the psychological and ethical issues in foster child and sibling placement. Placing siblings together can increase a child’s resilience to ongoing stressors, improve school performance, and lower the frequency of internalizing disorders. Participants will understand how to apply principles from the AACAP Code of Ethics to the issue of sibling separation. Defining the sibling relationship and identifying the obstacles to sibling unification can be important aspects of patient advocacy.

Sibling separation and self-reported offending: An examination of the association between sibling placement and offending behavior

This study uses data from the National Study of Child and Adolescent Well-Being II (NSCAW II) to examine the relationship between separation from siblings in out-of-home care and subsequent offending behavior in adolescence. While past research has examined the impact of being separated from siblings in foster care on problem behavior among youth, including internalizing and externalizing problems, no studies have addressed the association between sibling separation and delinquent/criminal behavior. Among the analysis sample (N = 380), participants who were separated from some but not all siblings at the first wave of data collection (mean age = 11.75) reported significantly more offending behavior than youth who were not separated from siblings, while youth who were separated from all siblings did not differ in offending behavior from youth who were placed with all siblings. Results of the current study provide support for the potential detrimental effect of sibling separation on youth functioning. Policy makers interested in reducing dual involvement of youth in the foster care system and the juvenile justice system should continue to emphasize the importance of preserving sibling relationships in out-of-home care. Future research should continue examining the relationship between sibling placement and later problem behaviors, as well as the mechanisms underlying these relationships.

Estimating the relational well-being of siblings separated by out-of-home care

ABSTRACT This study utilized web-based data collection and latent profile analysis to visualize and describe the relational well-being of youth experiencing foster care-related sibling separation. Legally authorized representatives for 724 youth in seven states in the U.S.A. completed a brief electronic questionnaire assessing youth’s social competence, emotional competence, sibling warmth, and sibling interaction quality. Six profiles of relational well-being emerged from the analysis and included youth who were “struggling—all domains,” “struggling—sibling relationships,” “thriving—all domains,” “near struggling—all domains,” “mixed—thriving sibling relationships/near-struggling social-emotional competence,” and “average—all domains.” Significant differences were observed for the proportion of youth in a particular profile based on their current out-of-home care status, permanency plan goal, and the survey respondent’s relationship to the youth. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.

Gabrielle Oliveira, Motherhood across Borders: Immigrants and Their Children in Mexico and New York (2018)

Reviewed by: Motherhood across Borders: Immigrants and Their Children in Mexico and New York by Gabrielle Oliveira Jennifer Bartlett (bio) Gabrielle Oliveira, Motherhood across Borders: Immigrants and Their Children in Mexico and New York. New York University Press, 2018. Pp. 246. In Motherhood across Borders, Gabrielle Oliveira addresses the effects of maternal migration on children's educational experiences. The book details the shift in family dynamics between the mother, the caregivers, the children left behind, the children brought over to the US, and the children born in the United States. Oliveira refers to these groups as transnational care constellations. Oliveira argues that the shift in family dynamics and care structure influences the lives of children most especially with regard to their education. In order to understand how maternal migration affects children, Oliveira examines their care and the ways in which caregivers and mothers negotiate child-rearing practices. The two questions this book seeks to answer are how mothers with children who live in New York City [End Page 223] and in Mexico navigate the care, educational support, and investment in their children's education in both areas, and how the levels of maternal migration influence the educational and migration aspirations as well as the social opportunities of the children living in Mexico and their siblings brought to or born in the US. One of the main issues Oliviera discusses is the interaction between economic benefits and emotional toll based on legal status. Mothers are able to provide economically for their children via migration but the cost they pay is separation from each other. Additionally, separation of siblings presents differences in how they are treated and the opportunities afforded to them. For example, one child may be undocumented and therefore limited in resources while another, born in the US, will have all of the opportunities afforded by his status. This creates a distinction between siblings and how they are perceived. The documented child, with the opportunity to do more, may receive golden child status. This status provokes jealousy among the siblings. Chapter 1 examines the stress of gender roles and perceptions about what makes a good mother. These ideals limit the socially acceptable reasons that women may give for migrating, which in turn has an effect on the child who is left behind. The child is expected to be grateful for the separation that they are told benefits them while at the same time they suffer from it. Oliveira highlights the confusion that this creates and suggests that the mothers often have other reasons for migrating that they cannot state due to what constitutes a "good mother." In chapter 2, Oliveira takes a look at school-related decisions and the difference between educational trajectories in the US and in Mexico. Technology helps families bridge the communication gap across the borders and mothers are able to take a central role as decision makers in their children's education in Mexico. In fact, their role in the school system is stronger in Mexico than in New York because of the lack of a language barrier as well as other concerns. In New York City the migrant mothers do not feel respected; they are worried about their legal status and have concerns of racism against them from African Americans. Chapter 3 deals with the perspective of the children. Children make sense of their parents' migration and this shapes their view of their futures and what it is like on the other side. Children in the US, for example, perceive Mexico as less safe and more impoverished than the United States, even when they are poor and living in unsafe conditions in New York City. Children in Mexico are often taught to measure their upward mobility by their material possessions and compare the distribution of resources between themselves and their siblings in the North. Technology often feeds into their ideas of inequality whether or not any inequity exists. Chapter 4 highlights the different social opportunities of the children in these care constellations, which also create complications—for example, the children living in Mexico feel discouraged about what their degrees would be worth in the [End Page 224] US and may have, as a larger goal...

Sibling rivalry, separation, and change in Austen's Sense and Sensibility

The paper explores a process of growth represented in the interplay of Jane Austen's characterizations of Marianne and Elinor Dashwood in Sense and Sensibility, approaching the text through the lens of psychoanalytic theories on oedipal sibling rivalry, separation, and processes of change. A close reading of Sense and Sensibility tracks Marianne Dashwood's repudiation of any ‘second attachment’ as the surface of an unconscious fantasy, denying a rival for the mother's love. A psychoanalytic view contrasts Marianne's lack of separation from her mother, her use of denial and projection, and her near death after losing the man she loves, with her older sister Elinor Dashwood's capacities for depression, reflection, and greater acceptance of loss and separation. The narrative portrays Mrs. Dashwood's identification with and idealization of her daughter Marianne, which contribute to her oedipal sibling ‘victory’. In the language and structure of the novel, the projections, identifications, aggressions, and separations (conscious and unconscious) of the sisters in the vicissitudes of their adolescent loves and rivalries constitute a process of growth. Austen's novel brings to life, with the vividness and coherence of great literature, forces and fantasies in oedipal sibling rivalries, inspiring renewed attention to their subtle presence in the transference and countertransference of the psychoanalytic process.

DMZ Crossing: Performing Emotional Citizenship Along the Korean Border by Suk-Young Kim (review)

Reviewed by: DMZ Crossing: Performing Emotional Citizenship Along the Korean Border by Suk-Young Kim Jae Kyoung Kim DMZ CROSSING: PERFORMING EMOTIONAL CITIZENSHIP ALONG THE KOREAN BORDER. By Suk-Young Kim. New York: Columbia University Press, 2014. 205 pp. Cloth, $55.00. DMZ Crossing, Suk-Young Kim’s descriptive and informative book on the diverse genres related to inter-Korean border crossing, narrates the tragic and paradoxical history of the demilitarized zone (DMZ) through the performative acts of real or fictional border crossers in the South and North. Examining border crossing through the lens of performance studies, explaining performativity in connection with the trauma of the Korean War and the division, and gauging the ironic nature of the memorial and commercial tourism derived from the DMZ, the author considers a series of political, ideological, and cultural contradictions surrounding the border, border crossing, and border crossers. Offering a clear overview of the division since the 1950s, she introduces relevant stage plays, feature films, documentary films, and museum exhibitions; presents the DMZ in the context of lingering controversies associated with the Cold War; and ultimately appeals to a wide readership with her approach to border crossing as “a high-stakes performative act with consequences” (p. 7). Interpreting the DMZ as an active stage, each chapter details two relevant case studies: one from the South and the other from the North. The first two chapters focus on fictional genres, stage plays and feature films, reflecting the early notions of the division and border crossing in each state via stories about separated families who long to reunite. Chapter 1 examines two 1958 plays: Yu Chi-jin’s Thus Flows the Han River (South) and Sin Go-song’s [End Page 254] Ten Years (North). Both dramatize the tragic conflicts among family members (or potential family members) initiated by border crossing during the Korean War. In her treatment of Yu’s play, for example, the author focuses on the female characters with separated families (such as Huisuk, Jeongae, and Cleopatra) and underscores the hopelessness of physical and psychological unification, highlighted through the tragic ending of the young lovers, Cheol and Huisuk. Stressing the impossibility of family reunion, the author concludes that the two plays, following each state’s ideology within the broader scope of international Cold War politics, ultimately “alert citizens about the dangers of free crossing” (p. 18). Chapter 2 compares and contrasts the South Korean film The DMZ (1965) and the North Korean film The Fates of Geumhui and Eunhui (1975), both of which feature the tragic separation of siblings during the Korean War. While the first film tells the story of a boy and girl who, in process of finding their respective mothers, become like brother and sister, experience both separation and unification in the DMZ, and fail tragically to escape the DMZ, the second film presents twin sisters who are separated during their childhood and experience antithetical lives in the North (life of abundance) and the South (life of misery). The author states that despite the similar topic of separated siblings, the negative and hostile description of the opposing side reflects each state’s political regulation of the inter-Korean relationship in the 1960s and 1970s. The next two chapters analyze two documentary films and museum exhibitions that reflect historical people and events. Chapter 3 introduces stories of political border crossers from each side, using documentary films to trace their double border crossings, likely because access to these people directly would be difficult. The North Korean state documentary Praise to Lim Su-kyung, the Flower of Unification (1989) follows every step of South Korean Lim Su-kyung’s short illegal visit to the North participate in the World Festival of Youth and Students in 1989, praising her as a heroic martyr for unification. On the other hand, the South Korean independent documentary Repatriation (2003) follows a group of North Korean spies imprisoned in South Korea. Through their daily routines and austere relationships with South Koreans, as well as their unceasing request for repatriation to the North, the author asserts that strong kinship cannot be broken, even by the state. Chapter 4 examines the state museum exhibitions on both sides, focusing on...

Don't Give Up the Adoptee: The Research of Adoption Dissolution in Taiwan

It has been observed that increasing the rate of adoption dissolution compromises children's rights. This study set out to investigate adoption dissolution including its causal factors and risk factors. It also set out to identify coping strategies to help avoid the situation leading to adoption dissolution. The study adopted qualitative and quantitative methodology to collect and analyze data. The research methods included a questionnaire survey, focus group discussions and interviewing. 44 questionnaires of adoption dissolution were collected and 44 interviews and some focus group discussions were conducted. The findings revealed a range of risk factors of adoption dissolution including adoptee characteristics (e.g. older age, emotional and behavioral disorder, sibling separation , special needs.); adopter family characteristics (e.g. their elders forcing them to adopt kids, too high expectation for child's performance, lack of parenting skills, lack of caring experience, an unstable marriage, pregnancy after adoption, step parent adoption); and agency characteristics(e.g. unprofessional in matching, insufficient service quality and assistance, unfit family needs, inadequate information). The research found that most of minor child adoption dissolution occurs in private adoption contexts. The perspective of adoption is still conservative and traditional, and focuses on adults' themselves, not concerns the best interests of the child. Thus, Taiwan's Government and adoption agencies should actively provide assistance for adoption, and make post-adoption supportive services available and accessible to protect the best interests of the child.

Separation, Visitation and Reunification: Michigan Child Welfare Reform and Its Implications for Siblings

Removal of children from abusive or neglectful families is an unfortunate but necessary aspect of child protective services, and the separation of siblings can be especially traumatic. This paper examines the Dwayne B. v. Snyder Modified Settlement Agreement (MSA), the result of a class action lawsuit regarding the management of the child welfare foster care system by the Michigan Department of Human Services. The MSA contains several mandates regarding the handling of siblings, though various measures of compliance remain unmet. Through field observations and interviews within the Michigan foster care system, we identify several factors prohibiting effective sibling care. Each year over 200,000 children enter foster care in the United States, most often upon the intervention of child protective services [CPS] who become involved in children's lives when allegations of abuse and neglect are confirmed (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2012). While such intervention may be necessary, state interference in child-victims' lives is often traumatic as well. Allowing (non-offending) siblings regular and quality contact with one another, and where possible placing them in the same foster home, may mitigate the effects of CPS involvement. Unfortunately a host of factors impact sibling interaction and out-of-home placement.

Maternal Separation Induces Alterations in Reversal Learning and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Expression in Adult Rats

Aims: Early postnatal maternal and/or sibling separation (MS) can play an important role in the development of psychopathologies during ontogeny. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the effects of repeated MS on the cognitive and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) function of rats. Methods: We investigated the effects of repeated MS that lasted 3 h/day during postnatal days 1-21 on spatial learning and reversal learning in Morris water maze tests in male rats. The rats were tested in 4 trials. Moreover, we examined the effects of MS on BDNF protein expression in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), the nucleus accumbens, and the hippocampus via immunohistochemistry measurements. Results: We found that repeated MS modestly disrupted reversal learning performance in the Morris water maze and decreased BDNF protein expression in the mPFC. Conclusion: The present study enhances our understanding of the neurobiological and behavioral consequences of repeated episodes of MS in rats to some degree.

Neonatal isolation decreases cued fear conditioning and frontal cortical histone 3 lysine 9 methylation in adult female rats

Early life stress is thought to enhance adult susceptibility to stress and stress-related mood disorders. In this study, fear-potentiated startle was used to model the acquisition of a traumatic event-related memory in female rats experiencing early life stress. Daily 1-hr maternal and sibling separation throughout day 2–9 postpartum (D2–9 PP) caused a decrease in the fear-potentiated startle, but not acoustic startle baseline, in adult female rats. The separation procedure did not affect corticosterone secretion but produced an increase in serum estradiol concentration. Moreover, the separation procedure did not affect histone 3 lysine 9 (H3K9) acetylation but decreased H3K9 mono- and tri-methylation in frontal cortices. Treatment with 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine (AZA) (5mg/kg at alternative days from D2PP to D9PP or 10mg/kg at D5PP and D9PP), a DNA methylation inhibitor, did not affect the separation-decreased fear-potentiated startle. Treatment with valproic acid (VPA), a histone deacetylase inhibitor, at 3 dosing regimens (300mg/kg at D2–9PP; 100mg/kg at D2–4PP, 200mg/kg at D5–7PP, 300mg/kg at D8–9PP; 100mg/kg at D2–5PP, 200mg/kg at D6–9PP) prior to daily separation reversed such a decrease in fear-potentiated startle. The lowest effective VPA dosing regimen used (100mg/kg at D2–5PP, 200mg/kg at D6–9PP) reversed the separation-decreased H3K9 mono- and tri-methylation in frontal cortices. Eight-day VPA (300mg/kg/day) and AZA (5mg/kg/day) administrations starting at D28PP were ineffective in altering the separation-decreased fear-potentiated startle. We, hereby, suggest that decreased frontal cortical H3K9 mono- and tri-methylation may be involved in early life separation-decreased fear memory of adult rats.

Kinship analysis based on SNP data from microarray assay

Pairwise kinship analysis is the basic approach in forensic examinations. The conventional assessment is achieved after statistical calculation of genetic data from a set of STR markers. However, the combined index of likelihood ratio does not separate siblings from unrelated pairs. In the present study, we ensured the effectiveness of SNP microarray assay to the kinship analysis. Reproducible large-scale genotypes data were obtained by the assay. In the setting of more than 0.05 of minor allele frequency and r 2 = 0.2 in linkage disequilibrium, the SNP data was analyzed using a IBD-based coefficient, π, in addition to IBD values. The minimum numbers of SNP subset for separation of full siblings and second degree pairs from unrelated pairs should be 1000 and 5000, respectively. SNP microarray assay will be useful for the analytic approach for full siblings and the second degree pairs.

Sibling separation and psychological problems of double AIDS orphans in rural China – a comparison analysis

We investigated the psychological impact of sibling separation among children who lost both of their parents to AIDS and were placed in group care or kinship care settings in rural China. Comparative analysis of cross-sectional survey data among 155 children among whom 96 experienced sibling separation. Trauma symptoms (Anxiety, Depression, Anger, Post-traumatic stress, Dissociation, Sexual concerns) were compared between the AIDS orphans who experienced sibling separation and those who did not using analysis of variance and multivariate analysis of covariance. Among the participants (47.7% girls) with an average age of 12.4 years, univariate and multivariate analyses showed that separation from siblings was associated with significantly higher scores in anxiety, depression, anger and dissociation before or after controlling for gender, age, care arrangement, number of household replacement, trusting relationship with the current caregivers and perceived quality of current living condition. Sibling separation among orphans was not associated with level of post-traumatic stress and sexual concerns. AIDS orphans separated from their siblings suffered from increased psychological distress compared with those who remained with their siblings. The data in the current study suggest that care arrangement for AIDS orphan should include accommodating the siblings together or providing them with opportunities for frequent contact and/or communication with each other. Appropriate psychological counselling should be given to those orphans experiencing sibling separation.

Siblings and Out-of-Home Placement: Best Practices

This article is based on research and practice experience from projects and cases in both public child welfare agencies and private adoption agencies. Here, the authors summarize the research on sibling relationships, including a description of sibling relationships in families where children have been abused and neglected. The authors also discuss the barriers in child welfare that can result in the separation of siblings. Finally, they offer best practice solutions that support maintaining sibling relationships throughout temporary and permanent placement. An assessment tool to assist in the decision-making process for the placement of siblings is also included. This tool will help practitioners think systematically about the placement of siblings in order to make the best decisions.

Together or separate? Sibling placements: A review of the literature

This paper draws on a substantial body of anecdotal, therapeutic and research-based literature on sibling relationships and sibling placements. It draws attention to the nature and significance of sibling relationships which are usually of lifelong importance in terms of both identity and support. Placement of sibling groups in out-of-home care, especially when the children have high emotional and physical needs, are complex whether they are placed together or are separated. Consideration is given to the long-term psychological consequences of separation of siblings, as well as the resource issues involved in keeping siblings together or separating them. It is suggested that, even when children appear very disturbed, separation is not necessarily appropriate.