Placement patterns in foster care

Social Service Review

Volumn 73, Issue 1, 1999, Pages 22-36

  Usher, Charles L ^a   Randolph, Karen A ^b   Gogan, Harlene C ^b  

^a UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA   (United States)

^b NONE

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

EID: 0008895102     PISSN: 00377961     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1086/515794     Document Type: Article

References (44)

1. Elizabeth K. Hartley, "Government Leadership to Protect Children from Foster Care 'Drift,'" Child Abuse and Neglect 8 (1984): 337-42.
2. David Fanshel and Eugene Shinn, Children in Foster Care: A Longitudinal Investigation (New York: Columbia University Press, 1978); Robert Goerge, "The Reunification Process in Substitute Care," Social Service Review 64, no. 3 (1990): 422-57: Lenore Olsen, "Predicting the Permanency Status of Children in Family Foster Care," Social Work Research and Abstracts 18, no. 1 (1982): 9-19; John Pardeck, "Multiple Placement of Children in Foster Family Care: An Empirical Analysis," Social Work 29, no. 6 (1984): 506-9.
3. David Fanshel and Eugene Shinn, Children in Foster Care: A Longitudinal Investigation (New York: Columbia University Press, 1978); Robert Goerge, "The Reunification Process in Substitute Care," Social Service Review 64, no. 3 (1990): 422-57: Lenore Olsen, "Predicting the Permanency Status of Children in Family Foster Care," Social Work Research and Abstracts 18, no. 1 (1982): 9-19; John Pardeck, "Multiple Placement of Children in Foster Family Care: An Empirical Analysis," Social Work 29, no. 6 (1984): 506-9.
4. David Fanshel and Eugene Shinn, Children in Foster Care: A Longitudinal Investigation (New York: Columbia University Press, 1978); Robert Goerge, "The Reunification Process in Substitute Care," Social Service Review 64, no. 3 (1990): 422-57: Lenore Olsen, "Predicting the Permanency Status of Children in Family Foster Care," Social Work Research and Abstracts 18, no. 1 (1982): 9-19; John Pardeck, "Multiple Placement of Children in Foster Family Care: An Empirical Analysis," Social Work 29, no. 6 (1984): 506-9.
5. David Fanshel and Eugene Shinn, Children in Foster Care: A Longitudinal Investigation (New York: Columbia University Press, 1978); Robert Goerge, "The Reunification Process in Substitute Care," Social Service Review 64, no. 3 (1990): 422-57: Lenore Olsen, "Predicting the Permanency Status of Children in Family Foster Care," Social Work Research and Abstracts 18, no. 1 (1982): 9-19; John Pardeck, "Multiple Placement of Children in Foster Family Care: An Empirical Analysis," Social Work 29, no. 6 (1984): 506-9.
6. Anthony Maluccio, Edith Fein, and Kathleen Olmstead, Permanency Planning for Children (New York: Tavistock, 1986); Kathleen Proch and Merlin Taber, "Placement Disruption: A Review of the Research," Children and Youth Services Review 7, no. 4 (1985): 309-20.
7. Anthony Maluccio, Edith Fein, and Kathleen Olmstead, Permanency Planning for Children (New York: Tavistock, 1986); Kathleen Proch and Merlin Taber, "Placement Disruption: A Review of the Research," Children and Youth Services Review 7, no. 4 (1985): 309-20.
8. Trudy Festinger, No One Ever Asked Us: A Postscript to Foster Care (New York: Columbia University Press, 1983).
9. Inger Davis, John Landsverk, Rae Newton, and William Ganger, "Parental Visiting and Foster Care Reunification," Children and Youth Services Review 18, nos. 4-5 (1996): 363-82; Charles Usher, Deborah Gibbs, Judy Wildfire, and Harlene Gogan, Measuring Outcomes in Child Welfare: Lessons from Family to Family (Research Triangle Park, N.C.: Research Triangle Institute, 1996).
10. Inger Davis, John Landsverk, Rae Newton, and William Ganger, "Parental Visiting and Foster Care Reunification," Children and Youth Services Review 18, nos. 4-5 (1996): 363-82; Charles Usher, Deborah Gibbs, Judy Wildfire, and Harlene Gogan, Measuring Outcomes in Child Welfare: Lessons from Family to Family (Research Triangle Park, N.C.: Research Triangle Institute, 1996).
11. Charles Usher, Deborah Gibbs, and Judy Wildfire, "A Framework for Planning, Implementing, and Evaluating Child Welfare Reforms," Child Welfare 74, no. 4 (1995): 859-76; Fred Wulczyn, "A Statistical and Methodological Framework for Analyzing the Foster Care Experiences of Children," Social Service Review 70, no. 2 (1996): 318-29.
12. Charles Usher, Deborah Gibbs, and Judy Wildfire, "A Framework for Planning, Implementing, and Evaluating Child Welfare Reforms," Child Welfare 74, no. 4 (1995): 859-76; Fred Wulczyn, "A Statistical and Methodological Framework for Analyzing the Foster Care Experiences of Children," Social Service Review 70, no. 2 (1996): 318-29.
13. Richard Barth, Mark Courtney, Jill Berrick, and Vickie Albert, From Child Abuse to Permanency Planning (New York: Aldine de Gruyter, 1994), p. 9.
14. In practice, different types of placement settings, such as foster homes or group homes, are ranked along a continuum by their level of restrictiveness. The level of restrictiveness is defined along two guidelines: as a comparison of the similarity to children's home environments and the amount of supervision and monitoring children receive. It is the legal obligation of the placing agency to facilitate the least restrictive placement for children as they enter foster care and to continuously assess the appropriateness of the placement setting based on level of restrictiveness.
15. David Fanshel, "Status Changes of Children in Foster Care: Final Results of the Columbia University Longitudinal Study," Child Welfare 55, no. 3 (1976): 143-71.
16. Richard Barth and Marianne Berry, "Outcomes of Child Welfare Services under Permanency Planning," Social Service Review 61, no. 1 (1987): 71-90; Mark Courtney, "Reentry to Foster Care of Children Returned to Their Families," Social Service Review 69, no. 2 (1995): 226-41; Edith Fein, Linda Davies, and Gerrie Knight, "Placement Stability in Foster Care," Social Work 24, no. 2 (1979): 156-57; Edith Fein, Anthony Maluccio, Jane Hamilton, and Darryl Ward, "After Foster Care: Outcomes of Permanency Planning for Children," Child Welfare 62, no. 6 (1983): 485-560; Barbara Rittner, "Children on the Move: Placement Patterns in Children's Protective Services," Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Human Services 76, no. 8 (1995): 469-77; Tina Rzepnicki, "Recidivism of Foster Children Returned to Their Own Homes: A Review and New Directions for Research," Social Service Review 61, no. 1 (1987): 56-70; Fred Wulczyn, "Caseload Dynamics and Foster Care Reentry," Social Service Review 35, no. 1 (1991): 133-56.
17. Richard Barth and Marianne Berry, "Outcomes of Child Welfare Services under Permanency Planning," Social Service Review 61, no. 1 (1987): 71-90; Mark Courtney, "Reentry to Foster Care of Children Returned to Their Families," Social Service Review 69, no. 2 (1995): 226-41; Edith Fein, Linda Davies, and Gerrie Knight, "Placement Stability in Foster Care," Social Work 24, no. 2 (1979): 156-57; Edith Fein, Anthony Maluccio, Jane Hamilton, and Darryl Ward, "After Foster Care: Outcomes of Permanency Planning for Children," Child Welfare 62, no. 6 (1983): 485-560; Barbara Rittner, "Children on the Move: Placement Patterns in Children's Protective Services," Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Human Services 76, no. 8 (1995): 469-77; Tina Rzepnicki, "Recidivism of Foster Children Returned to Their Own Homes: A Review and New Directions for Research," Social Service Review 61, no. 1 (1987): 56-70; Fred Wulczyn, "Caseload Dynamics and Foster Care Reentry," Social Service Review 35, no. 1 (1991): 133-56.
18. Richard Barth and Marianne Berry, "Outcomes of Child Welfare Services under Permanency Planning," Social Service Review 61, no. 1 (1987): 71-90; Mark Courtney, "Reentry to Foster Care of Children Returned to Their Families," Social Service Review 69, no. 2 (1995): 226-41; Edith Fein, Linda Davies, and Gerrie Knight, "Placement Stability in Foster Care," Social Work 24, no. 2 (1979): 156-57; Edith Fein, Anthony Maluccio, Jane Hamilton, and Darryl Ward, "After Foster Care: Outcomes of Permanency Planning for Children," Child Welfare 62, no. 6 (1983): 485-560; Barbara Rittner, "Children on the Move: Placement Patterns in Children's Protective Services," Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Human Services 76, no. 8 (1995): 469-77; Tina Rzepnicki, "Recidivism of Foster Children Returned to Their Own Homes: A Review and New Directions for Research," Social Service Review 61, no. 1 (1987): 56-70; Fred Wulczyn, "Caseload Dynamics and Foster Care Reentry," Social Service Review 35, no. 1 (1991): 133-56.
19. Richard Barth and Marianne Berry, "Outcomes of Child Welfare Services under Permanency Planning," Social Service Review 61, no. 1 (1987): 71-90; Mark Courtney, "Reentry to Foster Care of Children Returned to Their Families," Social Service Review 69, no. 2 (1995): 226-41; Edith Fein, Linda Davies, and Gerrie Knight, "Placement Stability in Foster Care," Social Work 24, no. 2 (1979): 156-57; Edith Fein, Anthony Maluccio, Jane Hamilton, and Darryl Ward, "After Foster Care: Outcomes of Permanency Planning for Children," Child Welfare 62, no. 6 (1983): 485-560; Barbara Rittner, "Children on the Move: Placement Patterns in Children's Protective Services," Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Human Services 76, no. 8 (1995): 469-77; Tina Rzepnicki, "Recidivism of Foster Children Returned to Their Own Homes: A Review and New Directions for Research," Social Service Review 61, no. 1 (1987): 56-70; Fred Wulczyn, "Caseload Dynamics and Foster Care Reentry," Social Service Review 35, no. 1 (1991): 133-56.
20. Richard Barth and Marianne Berry, "Outcomes of Child Welfare Services under Permanency Planning," Social Service Review 61, no. 1 (1987): 71-90; Mark Courtney, "Reentry to Foster Care of Children Returned to Their Families," Social Service Review 69, no. 2 (1995): 226-41; Edith Fein, Linda Davies, and Gerrie Knight, "Placement Stability in Foster Care," Social Work 24, no. 2 (1979): 156-57; Edith Fein, Anthony Maluccio, Jane Hamilton, and Darryl Ward, "After Foster Care: Outcomes of Permanency Planning for Children," Child Welfare 62, no. 6 (1983): 485-560; Barbara Rittner, "Children on the Move: Placement Patterns in Children's Protective Services," Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Human Services 76, no. 8 (1995): 469-77; Tina Rzepnicki, "Recidivism of Foster Children Returned to Their Own Homes: A Review and New Directions for Research," Social Service Review 61, no. 1 (1987): 56-70; Fred Wulczyn, "Caseload Dynamics and Foster Care Reentry," Social Service Review 35, no. 1 (1991): 133-56.
21. Richard Barth and Marianne Berry, "Outcomes of Child Welfare Services under Permanency Planning," Social Service Review 61, no. 1 (1987): 71-90; Mark Courtney, "Reentry to Foster Care of Children Returned to Their Families," Social Service Review 69, no. 2 (1995): 226-41; Edith Fein, Linda Davies, and Gerrie Knight, "Placement Stability in Foster Care," Social Work 24, no. 2 (1979): 156-57; Edith Fein, Anthony Maluccio, Jane Hamilton, and Darryl Ward, "After Foster Care: Outcomes of Permanency Planning for Children," Child Welfare 62, no. 6 (1983): 485-560; Barbara Rittner, "Children on the Move: Placement Patterns in Children's Protective Services," Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Human Services 76, no. 8 (1995): 469-77; Tina Rzepnicki, "Recidivism of Foster Children Returned to Their Own Homes: A Review and New Directions for Research," Social Service Review 61, no. 1 (1987): 56-70; Fred Wulczyn, "Caseload Dynamics and Foster Care Reentry," Social Service Review 35, no. 1 (1991): 133-56.
22. Richard Barth and Marianne Berry, "Outcomes of Child Welfare Services under Permanency Planning," Social Service Review 61, no. 1 (1987): 71-90; Mark Courtney, "Reentry to Foster Care of Children Returned to Their Families," Social Service Review 69, no. 2 (1995): 226-41; Edith Fein, Linda Davies, and Gerrie Knight, "Placement Stability in Foster Care," Social Work 24, no. 2 (1979): 156-57; Edith Fein, Anthony Maluccio, Jane Hamilton, and Darryl Ward, "After Foster Care: Outcomes of Permanency Planning for Children," Child Welfare 62, no. 6 (1983): 485-560; Barbara Rittner, "Children on the Move: Placement Patterns in Children's Protective Services," Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Human Services 76, no. 8 (1995): 469-77; Tina Rzepnicki, "Recidivism of Foster Children Returned to Their Own Homes: A Review and New Directions for Research," Social Service Review 61, no. 1 (1987): 56-70; Fred Wulczyn, "Caseload Dynamics and Foster Care Reentry," Social Service Review 35, no. 1 (1991): 133-56.
23. Wulczyn, "A Statistical and Methodological Framework for Analyzing the Foster Care Experiences of Children" (n. 6 above), p. 326.
24. Fanshel and Shinn (n. 2 above); Barbara Needell, Daniel Webster, Richard Barth, and Michael Armijo, Performance Indicators for Child Welfare Services in California (Berkeley: Child Welfare Research Center, 1995).
25. Fanshel and Shinn (n. 2 above); Barbara Needell, Daniel Webster, Richard Barth, and Michael Armijo, Performance Indicators for Child Welfare Services in California (Berkeley: Child Welfare Research Center, 1995).
26. Martha Dore and Eleanor Eisner, "Child-Related Dimensions of Placement Stability in Treatment Foster Care," Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal 10, no. 4 (1993): 301-17; Kathleen Proch and Merlin Taber, "Alienated Adolescents in Foster Care," Social Work Research and Abstracts 23, no. 2 (1987): 9-13; Ilene Staff and Edith Fein, "Together or Separate: A Study of Siblings in Foster Care," Child Welfare 71, no. 3 (1992): 257-70, and "Stability and Change: Initial Findings in a Study of Treatment Foster Care Placements," Children and Youth Services Review 17, no. 3 (1995): 379-89.
27. Martha Dore and Eleanor Eisner, "Child-Related Dimensions of Placement Stability in Treatment Foster Care," Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal 10, no. 4 (1993): 301-17; Kathleen Proch and Merlin Taber, "Alienated Adolescents in Foster Care," Social Work Research and Abstracts 23, no. 2 (1987): 9-13; Ilene Staff and Edith Fein, "Together or Separate: A Study of Siblings in Foster Care," Child Welfare 71, no. 3 (1992): 257-70, and "Stability and Change: Initial Findings in a Study of Treatment Foster Care Placements," Children and Youth Services Review 17, no. 3 (1995): 379-89.
28. Martha Dore and Eleanor Eisner, "Child-Related Dimensions of Placement Stability in Treatment Foster Care," Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal 10, no. 4 (1993): 301-17; Kathleen Proch and Merlin Taber, "Alienated Adolescents in Foster Care," Social Work Research and Abstracts 23, no. 2 (1987): 9-13; Ilene Staff and Edith Fein, "Together or Separate: A Study of Siblings in Foster Care," Child Welfare 71, no. 3 (1992): 257-70, and "Stability and Change: Initial Findings in a Study of Treatment Foster Care Placements," Children and Youth Services Review 17, no. 3 (1995): 379-89.
29. Martha Dore and Eleanor Eisner, "Child-Related Dimensions of Placement Stability in Treatment Foster Care," Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal 10, no. 4 (1993): 301-17; Kathleen Proch and Merlin Taber, "Alienated Adolescents in Foster Care," Social Work Research and Abstracts 23, no. 2 (1987): 9-13; Ilene Staff and Edith Fein, "Together or Separate: A Study of Siblings in Foster Care," Child Welfare 71, no. 3 (1992): 257-70, and "Stability and Change: Initial Findings in a Study of Treatment Foster Care Placements," Children and Youth Services Review 17, no. 3 (1995): 379-89.
30. Toshio Tatara, Characteristics of Children in Substitute and Adoptive Care: FY 1989 (Washington, D.C.: American Public Welfare Association, 1993).
31. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children, Youth, and Families, "Data Collection for Foster Care and Adoption: Statewide Automated Child Welfare Information Systems - Final Rule and Interim Final Rule," Federal Register 58, no. 244 (22 December 1993): 67912-38.
32. Fanshel and Shinn (n. 2 above).
33. Fein et al., "After Foster Care" (n. 10 above); John Pardeck, "An Empirical Analysis of Behavioral and Emotional Problems of Foster Children as Related to Re-placement in Foster Care," Child Abuse and Neglect 7, no. 1 (1983): 75-78; Proch and Taber, "Placement" (n. 3 above); Rittner (n. 10 above).
34. Fein et al., "After Foster Care" (n. 10 above); John Pardeck, "An Empirical Analysis of Behavioral and Emotional Problems of Foster Children as Related to Re-placement in Foster Care," Child Abuse and Neglect 7, no. 1 (1983): 75-78; Proch and Taber, "Placement" (n. 3 above); Rittner (n. 10 above).
35. Fein et al., "After Foster Care" (n. 10 above); John Pardeck, "An Empirical Analysis of Behavioral and Emotional Problems of Foster Children as Related to Re-placement in Foster Care," Child Abuse and Neglect 7, no. 1 (1983): 75-78; Proch and Taber, "Placement" (n. 3 above); Rittner (n. 10 above).
36. Fein et al., "After Foster Care" (n. 10 above); John Pardeck, "An Empirical Analysis of Behavioral and Emotional Problems of Foster Children as Related to Re-placement in Foster Care," Child Abuse and Neglect 7, no. 1 (1983): 75-78; Proch and Taber, "Placement" (n. 3 above); Rittner (n. 10 above).
37. Needell et al. (n. 12 above).
38. Dore and Eisner (n. 13 above).
39. Staff and Fein, "Stability and Change" (n. 13 above).
40. Proch and Taber, "Alienated Adolescents in Foster Care" (n. 13 above).
41. Robert Goerge, Fred Wulczyn, and Allen Harden, Foster Care Dynamics, 1983-1992: A Report from the Multistate Foster Care Data Archive (Chicago: Chapin Hall Center for Children, 1994).
42. Goerge (n. 2 above).
43. Agencies differ in the lag times that are tolerated between placement moves. In one locality known to the authors, e.g., the cases of children who are reunited remain open for 30 days to facilitate their return to care if reunification fails. Thus, this approach must be adapted to accommodate variations in state or local policies and practices.
44. Also implicit in these data is the tendency of children placed with relatives in this state to remain in care for shorter periods of time. This stands in contrast to the experience of children in the nation's largest metropolitan areas, such as those described by Barth et al. (n. 7 above) and Needell et al. (n. 12 above), where children in kinship care tend to experience the longest lengths of stay. This difference occurs because Ohio does not provide for expedited or restrictive licensing of relatives as foster parents. Local agencies strive to place children in permanent guardianship arrangements with relatives and to remove them from custody.