Search results for ‘Subject term:"looked after children"’ Sort:
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Exploring placement stability for children in out-of-home care in England: a sequence analysis of longitudinal administrative data
- Authors:
- McGRATH-LONE Louise, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Child Abuse and Neglect, 109, 2020, p.104689.
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
Background: To monitor stability of care, the proportion of children in England who have experienced three or more placements in the preceding 12-month period is published in government statistics. However, these annual snapshots cannot capture the complexity and heterogeneity of children’s longitudinal care histories. Objective: To describe the stability of care histories from birth to age 18 for children in England using a national administrative social care dataset, the Children Looked After return (CLA). Participants and setting: We analyzed CLA data for a large, representative sample of children born between 1992 and 1994 (N = 16,000). Methods: Using sequence analysis methods, we identified distinct patterns of stability, based on the number, duration, and timing of care placements throughout childhood. Results: Although care histories were varied, six distinct patterns of stability were evident including; adolescent 1st entries (17.6%), long-term complex care (13.1%) and early intervention (6.9%). Overall, most children (58.4%) had a care history that we classified as shorter term care with an average of 276 days and 2.48 placements in care throughout childhood. Few children (4.0%) had a care history that could be described as long-term stable care. Conclusions: Longitudinal analyses of administrative data can refine our understanding of how out-of-home care is used as a social care intervention. Sequence analysis is a particularly useful tool for exploring heterogeneous and complex care histories. Considering out-of-home care histories from a life course perspective over the entire childhood period could enable service providers to better understand and address the needs of looked after children. (Edited publisher abstract)
Predictors of reentry into the foster care system: comparison of children with and without previous removal experience
- Authors:
- JEDWAB Merav, SHAW Terry V.
- Journal article citation:
- Children and Youth Services Review, 82, 2017, pp.177-184.
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
Foster care reunification is the most common permanency plan for children in care, but it can be a challenging and stressful process for both the child and birth family. In some cases, the family reunification is unsuccessful and requires removal of the child from the home and reentry into care. The current study focuses on two groups: children who have had no previous removal-foster care experience and those who have had previous removal experience. The aims of the present study are to: (1) examine the rate of reentry for children who have no previous removal-foster care experience versus those who have previous removal experience prior to the current episode; (2) measure the period between the time of the reunification and the time of reentry to care for both groups; and (3) identify risk and protective factors correlated with reentry for both groups. The study analyses secondary data through survival analysis. The sample includes 4642 children exiting from care to reunification between 2010 and 2013, who are followed for 18 months. The rate of reentry for children with previous removal experience was much higher (25% vs. 16%), and the time of highest risk for future reentry was shorter (4 vs. 6 months, after reunification) compared to children without removal experience. Several common risk factors were found for both groups. Child behaviour, reunification against agency recommendation, and siblings in care increased the odds of reentry. However, visitation of the family by a case worker post-reunification decreased the risk for reentry. Child welfare administrators and caseworkers should continue to work toward providing care and ensuring that the child and family are fully prepared for reunification. Programmes and post reunification services must be targeted and provided to children with previous removal experience. (Edited publisher abstract)
Factors associated with re-entry to out-of-home care among children in England
- Authors:
- McGRATH-LONE Louise, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Child Abuse and Neglect, 63, 2016, pp.73-83.
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
Exiting and re-entering out-of-home care (OHC) is considered a disruption to permanence which may have long-lasting, negative consequences for children due to a lack of stability and continuity. Each year approximately one-third of children in OHC in England exit, but information is lacking on rates of re-entries and associated factors. Using national administrative data, the authors calculated rates of re-entry among children exiting OHC from 2007 to 2012, identified key child and care factors associated with re-entry using Cox proportional hazards modelling, and developed a simple probability calculator to estimate which groups of children are most likely to re-enter OHC within three months. Between 2007 and 2012 re-entries to OHC in England decreased (from 23.3% to 14.4% within one year of exit, p < 0.001), possibly due to concurrent changes in the way children exited OHC. Overall, more than one-third of children exiting OHC in 2008 re-entered within five years (35.3%, N = 4076), but rates of re-entry varied by child and care characteristics including age, ethnicity, mode of exit, and placement stability. Based on these associated factors, the authros developed a calculator that can estimate the likelihood of rapid re-entry to OHC for a group of children and could be used by social care practitioners or service planners. The findings provide insight into which groups of children are most likely to re-enter OHC, who may benefit from additional support or ongoing monitoring. (Edited publisher abstract)
Beyond the Adoption Order: an investigation of adoption disruption in Wales: research report
- Authors:
- WIJEDASA Dinithi, SELWYN Julie
- Publisher:
- University of Bristol. Hadley Centre for Adoption and Foster Care Studies
- Publication year:
- 2014
- Pagination:
- 53
- Place of publication:
- Bristol
Sets out the rate of, and reasons for, adoption disruption after an Adoption Order had been granted in Wales. This study used a quantitative research design to meet the research objectives, using government data on all children who had been looked after and adopted between 1st April 2002 and 31st March 2012. The stability of adoption has been seen as one of its strengths, but the long-term permanence of adoptive placements in the UK has been unknown and social workers lack reliable information to aid them in making decisions about permanence. This study shows that over an 11 year follow-up period, the Welsh national adoption disruption rate was 2.6 per cent, which indicated that about 3 in 100 adoptions would disrupt over an 11 year period. The rate of adoption post order disruption in England was very similar, where the cumulative risk of disruption over a 12 year period was that about 3 in 100. The Cox regression model indicated that older age at placement, a higher number of moves in care before being placed for adoption and a lengthier time period between placement and the Adoption Order were all predictors of adoption disruption. The majority of disruptions were when children were over 11 years of age. Services are therefore needed for teenagers and those parenting teens. (Edited publisher abstract)
The Multisite Accelerated Permanency Project: permanency roundtables as a strategy to help older youth in foster care achieve legal permanency
- Authors:
- WHITE Catherine Roller, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Social Service Research, 41(3), 2015, pp.364-384.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
The Multisite Accelerated Permanency Project (MSAPP) implemented permanency roundtables (PRTs) to increase legal permanency rates for older youth in foster care. PRTs are structured meetings intended to expedite legal permanency (defined as adoption, guardianship, or reunification) for youth by involving experts from both inside and outside child welfare agencies in creative and concrete case planning. The target population of this study included older youth (median age = 17 years) who faced the most challenges in achieving legal permanency, most of whom had a case goal of another planned permanent living arrangement. In 2010, 726 youth participated in PRTs in 4 states through MSAPP. One year after the roundtables, 8.5% of the youth achieved legal permanency. Although the rate of achieving legal permanency was low, other benefits were realised through the process, including increased staff understanding of the importance of legal permanency and identification of strategies to address barriers to achieving legal permanency. Improving rates of achieving legal permanency for older youth in foster care in the future will require effective implementation and evaluation of innovative approaches, including thorough family finding; strategic use of concurrent planning, judicial reviews, and ancillary services; and greater alignment among practice, agencies, policy, and research. (Edited publisher abstract)
Consultation on looked-after children: improving permanence: government response
- Author:
- GREAT BRITAIN. Department for Education
- Publisher:
- Great Britain. Department for Education
- Publication year:
- 2014
- Pagination:
- 60
- Place of publication:
- London
Summarises the results from the government consultation on improving permanence for looked after children, and sets out the government’s response. The consultation ran from 30 September 2013 to 29 November 2013, and a total of 104 responses were received. The consultation sought views on proposals to: strengthen the team around the looked after child, secure permanence for looked-after children, improve the status, security, and stability of long term foster-care, and strengthen the requirements for returning children home from care. The majority of respondents to the consultation welcomed the proposals and agreed with the principles presented. A list of organisations that responded to the consultation is also included. (Edited publisher abstract)
Making the right choices for children in care: leaders briefing
- Author:
- RESEARCH IN PRACTICE
- Publisher:
- Research in Practice
- Publication year:
- 2014
- Pagination:
- 16
- Place of publication:
- Dartington
This briefing is for local authority Lead Members for children’s services, who have statutory responsibility (shared with all other Members) as corporate parents of children in care. It highlights key research messages about the different types of living arrangements for children in care, and how each can help provide them with long-term stability during childhood and beyond. Sections cover: promoting different routes to permanence, building a workforce responsive to children's needs, and championing practice improvements within local authorities. (Edited publisher abstract)
Permanency for children in foster care: issues and barriers for adoption
- Authors:
- SCOTT Diane L., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Child and Youth Services, 34(3), 2013, pp.290-307.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
The desired outcome for children in foster care is to be reunited with their parents or to be permanently placed in a stable home. Federal and state legislation directs increased efforts by the social welfare and judicial systems in the United States to act in the best interests of the child and to identify and reduce barriers to permanency. Records from two county dependency courts in Florida were examined and caregivers surveyed to identify issues that prevented them from adopting the child in their care, and to identify services that would have enhanced the likelihood of adoption. The findings and their implications suggest that more integration of the two systems and support for concrete assistance to caregivers are paramount to facilitating adoption of children in foster care. (Publisher abstract)
Understanding permanence for looked after children: a review of research for the Care Inquiry
- Author:
- BODDY Janet
- Publisher:
- University of Sussex. School of Education and Social Work
- Publication year:
- 2013
- Pagination:
- 35
- Place of publication:
- Brighton
For many years, government policy has highlighted the importance for children of ‘a sense of security, continuity, commitment and identity’ through childhood and beyond. But how can we ensure this sense of permanence and belonging for all children who become looked after? This reviews research relevant to understanding permanence for children who are ‘looked after’ under the auspices of the Children Act 1989. It aims to inform the objectives of the Care Inquiry, a collaboration between eight specialist charities which was established in 2012 to investigate how best to provide stable and permanent homes for children in England who cannot live with their birth parents (whether temporarily or permanently). It highlights the diversity of children who become looked after: their characteristics on entry, their needs, and their pathways through the system. Despite this diversity, research consistently shows the importance for children and young people of achieving a sense of permanence – whilst in care, and on into adult life. (Edited publisher abstract)
A better path to permanency for children in out-of-home care
- Authors:
- PINE Barbara A., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Children and Youth Services Review, 31(10), October 2009, pp.1135-1143.
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
This article reports selected findings from a five-year, comprehensive evaluation of a program designed based on principles and practices found to be most predictive of successful family reunification. The study reported here matched families in the program with families receiving standard state reunification services. Findings indicate that program and non-program children were nearly equally likely to be reunified. However, program children were reunified or achieved an alternative permanent placement sooner, and experienced fewer moves while in care than children in the comparison group. Moreover, program families were less likely to experience a re-referral to child welfare authorities after they were reunified.