Peter J. Pecora, Ronald C. Kessler, Jason Williams, A. Chris Downs, Diana J. English, James White, and Kirk O'Brien
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- September 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195175912
- eISBN:
- 9780199865628
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195175912.001.0001
- Subject:
- Social Work, Children and Families
This book reports the findings from the Northwest Foster Care Alumni Study, which examined outcomes for adults who were placed in family foster care as children. The primary research questions were ...
More
This book reports the findings from the Northwest Foster Care Alumni Study, which examined outcomes for adults who were placed in family foster care as children. The primary research questions were as follows: (1) How are maltreated youth who were placed in foster care faring as adults? To what extent are they different in their functioning from other adults? (2) Are there key factors or program components that are linked with better functioning in adulthood? The book also contains the agency comparisons and the predictive equations that link certain demographic foster care experiences and interventions with more positive alumni outcomes.Less
This book reports the findings from the Northwest Foster Care Alumni Study, which examined outcomes for adults who were placed in family foster care as children. The primary research questions were as follows: (1) How are maltreated youth who were placed in foster care faring as adults? To what extent are they different in their functioning from other adults? (2) Are there key factors or program components that are linked with better functioning in adulthood? The book also contains the agency comparisons and the predictive equations that link certain demographic foster care experiences and interventions with more positive alumni outcomes.
Petra Kouvonen
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- May 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780199652501
- eISBN:
- 9780191739217
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199652501.003.0027
- Subject:
- Law, Family Law, Human Rights and Immigration
A common issue in the field of child welfare is how to tailor services so that clients receive the most suitable form of care. All current legal regulations in use in the field of child welfare ...
More
A common issue in the field of child welfare is how to tailor services so that clients receive the most suitable form of care. All current legal regulations in use in the field of child welfare emphasize that measures for children deprived of care in their original families should be free of discrimination, which might be seen as a presumption of the right of each child to receive equal care. Equality in care might be interpreted in two senses: as care being equally available to all children and as care being individually suitable. Equal care for all children in both these senses is however not always self-evident, especially if a service field has gone through structural changes as is discussed in this chapter, using the Finnish foster care field as a case. In the chapter, foster care is the concept used to discuss all non-institutional substitute care for children placed outside their homes. Thus, the definition includes foster care provided by private households or private companies.Less
A common issue in the field of child welfare is how to tailor services so that clients receive the most suitable form of care. All current legal regulations in use in the field of child welfare emphasize that measures for children deprived of care in their original families should be free of discrimination, which might be seen as a presumption of the right of each child to receive equal care. Equality in care might be interpreted in two senses: as care being equally available to all children and as care being individually suitable. Equal care for all children in both these senses is however not always self-evident, especially if a service field has gone through structural changes as is discussed in this chapter, using the Finnish foster care field as a case. In the chapter, foster care is the concept used to discuss all non-institutional substitute care for children placed outside their homes. Thus, the definition includes foster care provided by private households or private companies.
Peter J. Pecora, Ronald C. Kessler, Jason Williams, A. Chris Downs, Diana J. English, James White, and Kirk O'Brien
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- September 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195175912
- eISBN:
- 9780199865628
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195175912.003.0001
- Subject:
- Social Work, Children and Families
This chapter begins by presenting data on the number of youth in care in the United States and how long they receive services. Next come a description of family foster care and a summary of the ...
More
This chapter begins by presenting data on the number of youth in care in the United States and how long they receive services. Next come a description of family foster care and a summary of the expectations of care. Then findings from foster care studies, research limitations, and the financial costs of providing care are presented. Conclusions about foster care are then drawn, followed by the rationale of the Northwest Alumni Study. The chapter concludes with a brief description of each chapter of this book. Quotes from alumni are included in this chapter and throughout the other book chapters to provide a first-person context; these were taken from interviewers' notes.Less
This chapter begins by presenting data on the number of youth in care in the United States and how long they receive services. Next come a description of family foster care and a summary of the expectations of care. Then findings from foster care studies, research limitations, and the financial costs of providing care are presented. Conclusions about foster care are then drawn, followed by the rationale of the Northwest Alumni Study. The chapter concludes with a brief description of each chapter of this book. Quotes from alumni are included in this chapter and throughout the other book chapters to provide a first-person context; these were taken from interviewers' notes.
Jill Duerr Berrick
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- January 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195310122
- eISBN:
- 9780199865284
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195310122.003.0002
- Subject:
- Social Work, Social Policy, Children and Families
The high levels of divorce, separation, and single-parenthood in modern times have created daunting issues and hardship surrounding social/emotional and financial care for children in families ...
More
The high levels of divorce, separation, and single-parenthood in modern times have created daunting issues and hardship surrounding social/emotional and financial care for children in families experiencing these struggles. This chapter examines policies that assist grandparents to step in and provide substitute family care for children who can no longer live in their parents' homes for various reasons, including parental health, maltreatment, substance abuse, and economic disruptions. This analysis cautions against policy measures that may inadvertently provide a strong incentive for low-income women to transfer their children's care to relatives. To soften these incentive effects, several adjustment to current policies are recommended that involve offering family stabilization grants to parents when children return home, monitoring subsidized guardianship arrangements, and eliminating the time limits on TANF family grants.Less
The high levels of divorce, separation, and single-parenthood in modern times have created daunting issues and hardship surrounding social/emotional and financial care for children in families experiencing these struggles. This chapter examines policies that assist grandparents to step in and provide substitute family care for children who can no longer live in their parents' homes for various reasons, including parental health, maltreatment, substance abuse, and economic disruptions. This analysis cautions against policy measures that may inadvertently provide a strong incentive for low-income women to transfer their children's care to relatives. To soften these incentive effects, several adjustment to current policies are recommended that involve offering family stabilization grants to parents when children return home, monitoring subsidized guardianship arrangements, and eliminating the time limits on TANF family grants.
Amy Dworsky
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- January 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195304961
- eISBN:
- 9780199863648
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195304961.003.0007
- Subject:
- Social Work, Children and Families, Research and Evaluation
Approximately 20,000 foster youth are discharged by state child welfare agencies each year to live on their own. This chapter examines what happens to these foster youth after they leave care. It ...
More
Approximately 20,000 foster youth are discharged by state child welfare agencies each year to live on their own. This chapter examines what happens to these foster youth after they leave care. It begins with a brief discussion of the motivation for and development of the Title IV-E Independent Living Program and its successor, the John H. Chafee Foster Care Independence Program. It then reviews the literature on the outcomes of former foster youth. The review describes a number of previous studies that have examined the self-sufficiency of foster youth who aged out of care, discusses their methodological limitations, and summarizes the findings from this research. The chapter concludes with a discussion of some unanswered questions that researchers are beginning to address.Less
Approximately 20,000 foster youth are discharged by state child welfare agencies each year to live on their own. This chapter examines what happens to these foster youth after they leave care. It begins with a brief discussion of the motivation for and development of the Title IV-E Independent Living Program and its successor, the John H. Chafee Foster Care Independence Program. It then reviews the literature on the outcomes of former foster youth. The review describes a number of previous studies that have examined the self-sufficiency of foster youth who aged out of care, discusses their methodological limitations, and summarizes the findings from this research. The chapter concludes with a discussion of some unanswered questions that researchers are beginning to address.
Peter J. Pecora, Ronald C. Kessler, Jason Williams, A. Chris Downs, Diana J. English, James White, and Kirk O'Brien
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- September 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195175912
- eISBN:
- 9780199865628
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195175912.003.0002
- Subject:
- Social Work, Children and Families
To understand the context and environment of the alumni while in foster care and their influence on adult outcomes, this chapter is divided into four sections. The first section deals with foster ...
More
To understand the context and environment of the alumni while in foster care and their influence on adult outcomes, this chapter is divided into four sections. The first section deals with foster care research. Prior research informing this study's research questions and hypotheses is discussed. This section begins by presenting findings on the impact of child maltreatment on later development. The next section looks at Landsverk's conceptual framework. This model describing critical factors impacting youth development in foster care is presented. The third section examines developmental theories and conceptual models. Theories and conceptual models explaining child growth and development and informing the Northwest Alumni Study are discussed. The last section looks at esearch questions and hypotheses. This chapter concludes by presenting the primary and secondary research questions and hypotheses.Less
To understand the context and environment of the alumni while in foster care and their influence on adult outcomes, this chapter is divided into four sections. The first section deals with foster care research. Prior research informing this study's research questions and hypotheses is discussed. This section begins by presenting findings on the impact of child maltreatment on later development. The next section looks at Landsverk's conceptual framework. This model describing critical factors impacting youth development in foster care is presented. The third section examines developmental theories and conceptual models. Theories and conceptual models explaining child growth and development and informing the Northwest Alumni Study are discussed. The last section looks at esearch questions and hypotheses. This chapter concludes by presenting the primary and secondary research questions and hypotheses.
Shenyang Guo
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- January 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195337518
- eISBN:
- 9780199864256
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195337518.001.0001
- Subject:
- Social Work, Research and Evaluation
Survival analysis is a class of statistical methods for studying the occurrence and timing of events. Statistical analysis of longitudinal data, particularly censored data, lies at the heart of ...
More
Survival analysis is a class of statistical methods for studying the occurrence and timing of events. Statistical analysis of longitudinal data, particularly censored data, lies at the heart of social work research, and many of social work research's empirical problems, such as child welfare, welfare policy, evaluation of welfare-to-work programs, and mental health, can be formulated as investigations of timing of event occurrence. Social work researchers also often need to analyze multilevel or grouped data (for example, event times formed by sibling groups or mother-child dyads or recurrences of events such as re-entries into foster care), but these and other more robust methods can be challenging to social work researchers without a background in higher math. With clearly written summaries and plentiful examples, all written with social work issues and social work researchers in mind, this pocket guide will put this important statistical tool in the hands of many more social work researchers than have been able to use it before, to the field's benefit.Less
Survival analysis is a class of statistical methods for studying the occurrence and timing of events. Statistical analysis of longitudinal data, particularly censored data, lies at the heart of social work research, and many of social work research's empirical problems, such as child welfare, welfare policy, evaluation of welfare-to-work programs, and mental health, can be formulated as investigations of timing of event occurrence. Social work researchers also often need to analyze multilevel or grouped data (for example, event times formed by sibling groups or mother-child dyads or recurrences of events such as re-entries into foster care), but these and other more robust methods can be challenging to social work researchers without a background in higher math. With clearly written summaries and plentiful examples, all written with social work issues and social work researchers in mind, this pocket guide will put this important statistical tool in the hands of many more social work researchers than have been able to use it before, to the field's benefit.
MARIE SALLNÄS
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- May 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195309188
- eISBN:
- 9780199863907
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195309188.003.0003
- Subject:
- Social Work, Children and Families
Swedish out-of-home care has been subject to major changes in recent times. Foster care is the most common form of out-of-home care—and the principally preferred option—but lately the number of ...
More
Swedish out-of-home care has been subject to major changes in recent times. Foster care is the most common form of out-of-home care—and the principally preferred option—but lately the number of placements in privately run residential homes has risen. It is not possible in the Swedish context to discuss the current situation and trends in residential care without taking foster care into consideration. Changes in the field of foster care affect residential care and vice versa, because both decisions are made by local authorities. This chapter presents an overview of the “landscape” of out-of-home care in Sweden and discusses the changing role of residential care in that landscape, along with the possible explanations for the most important alterations that have taken place.Less
Swedish out-of-home care has been subject to major changes in recent times. Foster care is the most common form of out-of-home care—and the principally preferred option—but lately the number of placements in privately run residential homes has risen. It is not possible in the Swedish context to discuss the current situation and trends in residential care without taking foster care into consideration. Changes in the field of foster care affect residential care and vice versa, because both decisions are made by local authorities. This chapter presents an overview of the “landscape” of out-of-home care in Sweden and discusses the changing role of residential care in that landscape, along with the possible explanations for the most important alterations that have taken place.
Jill Duerr Berrick
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- January 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195322620
- eISBN:
- 9780199864607
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195322620.001.0001
- Subject:
- Social Work, Children and Families, Social Policy
There is a profound crisis in the United States’ foster care system according to this book. No state has passed the federally mandated Child and Family Service Review; two-thirds of the state systems ...
More
There is a profound crisis in the United States’ foster care system according to this book. No state has passed the federally mandated Child and Family Service Review; two-thirds of the state systems have faced class-action lawsuits demanding change; and most tellingly, almost half of all children who enter foster care never go home. The field of child welfare has lost its way and is neglecting its fundamental responsibility to the most vulnerable children and families in America. The family stories this book weaves throughout the chapters provide a backdrop for the statistics presented. Amanda, raised in foster care, began having children of her own while still a teen and lost them to the system when she became addicted to drugs. Tracy, brought up by her schizophrenic single mother, gave birth to the first of eight children at age fourteen and saw them all shuffled through foster care as she dealt drugs and went to prison. Both they and the other individuals that are featured in the book spent years without adequate support from social workers or the government before finally achieving a healthier life; many people never do. But despite the clear crisis in child welfare, most calls for reform have focused on unproven prevention methods, not on improving the situation for those already caught in the system. The book argues that real child welfare reform will only occur when the centerpiece of child welfare — reunification, permanency, and foster care — is reaffirmed.Less
There is a profound crisis in the United States’ foster care system according to this book. No state has passed the federally mandated Child and Family Service Review; two-thirds of the state systems have faced class-action lawsuits demanding change; and most tellingly, almost half of all children who enter foster care never go home. The field of child welfare has lost its way and is neglecting its fundamental responsibility to the most vulnerable children and families in America. The family stories this book weaves throughout the chapters provide a backdrop for the statistics presented. Amanda, raised in foster care, began having children of her own while still a teen and lost them to the system when she became addicted to drugs. Tracy, brought up by her schizophrenic single mother, gave birth to the first of eight children at age fourteen and saw them all shuffled through foster care as she dealt drugs and went to prison. Both they and the other individuals that are featured in the book spent years without adequate support from social workers or the government before finally achieving a healthier life; many people never do. But despite the clear crisis in child welfare, most calls for reform have focused on unproven prevention methods, not on improving the situation for those already caught in the system. The book argues that real child welfare reform will only occur when the centerpiece of child welfare — reunification, permanency, and foster care — is reaffirmed.
Mark Testa, Christina M. Bruhn, and Jesse Helton
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- February 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195398465
- eISBN:
- 9780199863426
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195398465.003.0006
- Subject:
- Social Work, Children and Families, Health and Mental Health
This chapter examines the growing use of kinship care as a placement option for children who must be removed from their homes of origin. It highlights the tensions between the recruitment of blood ...
More
This chapter examines the growing use of kinship care as a placement option for children who must be removed from their homes of origin. It highlights the tensions between the recruitment of blood relatives and the selection of trained, licensed foster parents as agents of children's well-being. Although in principle, relatives can serve as licensed foster parents, in practice, state licensing requirements may disqualify blood kin because of, for example, cramped housing quarters, lack of a telephone, or past arrests. The important question is whether kin should still be privileged under federal law for public assistance and foster care benefits if they are unable to meet state foster home licensing standards. Drawing on NSCAW data, the chapter estimates the mean differences in some key indicators of bonding and bridging social capital across placement settings. It models the effects of these indicators and other demographic and economic characteristics on the outcomes of continuity, stability, and safety. It suggests that, with respect to these traditional child welfare outcomes, both formal and informal kinship care offer some advantages, while carrying no appreciably greater safety risks than foster family care.Less
This chapter examines the growing use of kinship care as a placement option for children who must be removed from their homes of origin. It highlights the tensions between the recruitment of blood relatives and the selection of trained, licensed foster parents as agents of children's well-being. Although in principle, relatives can serve as licensed foster parents, in practice, state licensing requirements may disqualify blood kin because of, for example, cramped housing quarters, lack of a telephone, or past arrests. The important question is whether kin should still be privileged under federal law for public assistance and foster care benefits if they are unable to meet state foster home licensing standards. Drawing on NSCAW data, the chapter estimates the mean differences in some key indicators of bonding and bridging social capital across placement settings. It models the effects of these indicators and other demographic and economic characteristics on the outcomes of continuity, stability, and safety. It suggests that, with respect to these traditional child welfare outcomes, both formal and informal kinship care offer some advantages, while carrying no appreciably greater safety risks than foster family care.
Peter J. Pecora, Ronald C. Kessler, Jason Williams, A. Chris Downs, Diana J. English, James White, and Kirk O'Brien
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- September 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195175912
- eISBN:
- 9780199865628
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195175912.003.0011
- Subject:
- Social Work, Children and Families
This chapter examines the third primary research question: Are there key factors or program components that are linked with better functioning in adulthood? It was hypothesized that a more positive ...
More
This chapter examines the third primary research question: Are there key factors or program components that are linked with better functioning in adulthood? It was hypothesized that a more positive foster care experience would be related to more desirable outcomes. These include the following: A more stable placement history; Educational stability and more access to educational tutoring supports; More access to therapeutic service and supports; More involvement with the foster family; Greater preparation for leaving care (e.g., employment training and support); More tangible resources upon leaving care (e.g., $250 in cash and a driver's license); A positive relationship with an adult while growing up. Each outcome (e.g., no PTSD in last twelve months, no major depression in last twelve months) was examined separately after controlling for demographics and risk factor variables that were significant in a stepwise logistic regression: agency serving the youth, the state in which the youth was served, and the interaction between agency and state.Less
This chapter examines the third primary research question: Are there key factors or program components that are linked with better functioning in adulthood? It was hypothesized that a more positive foster care experience would be related to more desirable outcomes. These include the following: A more stable placement history; Educational stability and more access to educational tutoring supports; More access to therapeutic service and supports; More involvement with the foster family; Greater preparation for leaving care (e.g., employment training and support); More tangible resources upon leaving care (e.g., $250 in cash and a driver's license); A positive relationship with an adult while growing up. Each outcome (e.g., no PTSD in last twelve months, no major depression in last twelve months) was examined separately after controlling for demographics and risk factor variables that were significant in a stepwise logistic regression: agency serving the youth, the state in which the youth was served, and the interaction between agency and state.
James P. Gleeson
- Published in print:
- 1999
- Published Online:
- January 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195109405
- eISBN:
- 9780199865789
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195109405.003.0003
- Subject:
- Social Work, Children and Families
This chapter examines kinship care policy development in Illinois. The policy issues and trends that shaped the use of kinship care as a child welfare service are presented. Future trends that will ...
More
This chapter examines kinship care policy development in Illinois. The policy issues and trends that shaped the use of kinship care as a child welfare service are presented. Future trends that will influence the use of kinship care are discussed.Less
This chapter examines kinship care policy development in Illinois. The policy issues and trends that shaped the use of kinship care as a child welfare service are presented. Future trends that will influence the use of kinship care are discussed.
Mary Ann Davis
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- May 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195310313
- eISBN:
- 9780199871384
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195310313.003.0011
- Subject:
- Psychology, Social Psychology
A small portion of youth, approximately 20,000 per year, reach the age of majority while in foster care. This chapter explores the issues affecting criminal persistence in this vulnerable population. ...
More
A small portion of youth, approximately 20,000 per year, reach the age of majority while in foster care. This chapter explores the issues affecting criminal persistence in this vulnerable population. Although these individuals are expected to function independently, they are at an elevated risk for persistent offending due to factors such as education, employment, income, attachment, and environment. In this chapter, foster care and the process of transition to independent living are first described. Then an examination of the life course, capital and ecological models of persistent offending among foster care youth is presented. Finally, research on the association between foster care and persistent criminality is described and avenues for future research are suggested.Less
A small portion of youth, approximately 20,000 per year, reach the age of majority while in foster care. This chapter explores the issues affecting criminal persistence in this vulnerable population. Although these individuals are expected to function independently, they are at an elevated risk for persistent offending due to factors such as education, employment, income, attachment, and environment. In this chapter, foster care and the process of transition to independent living are first described. Then an examination of the life course, capital and ecological models of persistent offending among foster care youth is presented. Finally, research on the association between foster care and persistent criminality is described and avenues for future research are suggested.
MARK E. COURTNEY and DARCY HUGHES-HEURING
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- May 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195309188
- eISBN:
- 9780199863907
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195309188.003.0011
- Subject:
- Social Work, Children and Families
This chapter examines the history of U.S. residential care in an attempt to understand the factors that have influenced its development. It describes recent trends in and the current state of ...
More
This chapter examines the history of U.S. residential care in an attempt to understand the factors that have influenced its development. It describes recent trends in and the current state of residential care, and speculates about its future. The chapter focuses on the use of residential care for children removed from their families due to abuse or neglect.Less
This chapter examines the history of U.S. residential care in an attempt to understand the factors that have influenced its development. It describes recent trends in and the current state of residential care, and speculates about its future. The chapter focuses on the use of residential care for children removed from their families due to abuse or neglect.
Rebecca L. Hegar
- Published in print:
- 1999
- Published Online:
- January 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195109405
- eISBN:
- 9780199865789
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195109405.003.0014
- Subject:
- Social Work, Children and Families
This chapter discusses the shifts in the dominant paradigm for child placement practice, with emphasis on the rise of kinship foster care. It analyzes the unintended and unforeseen consequences of ...
More
This chapter discusses the shifts in the dominant paradigm for child placement practice, with emphasis on the rise of kinship foster care. It analyzes the unintended and unforeseen consequences of policy and practice under the newest child placement paradigm. The final sections consider the state of child placement practice in the next century.Less
This chapter discusses the shifts in the dominant paradigm for child placement practice, with emphasis on the rise of kinship foster care. It analyzes the unintended and unforeseen consequences of policy and practice under the newest child placement paradigm. The final sections consider the state of child placement practice in the next century.
Maxine Eichner
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- January 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195343212
- eISBN:
- 9780199867769
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195343212.003.0006
- Subject:
- Political Science, Political Theory
This chapter considers how the state should approach families that function in ways that vary from liberal democratic norms. The mainstream view that underlies contemporary theory and public policy ...
More
This chapter considers how the state should approach families that function in ways that vary from liberal democratic norms. The mainstream view that underlies contemporary theory and public policy has been simply to affirm the doctrine of family privacy until families fail, at which time coercive intervention in the family is deemed appropriate. It is argued that the supportive state does better in conceiving of families as requiring support in the normal course of events. Doing so will more often than not keep families from reaching the point of crisis and coercive intervention. At the same time, while the supportive state gives considerable weight to the good of family privacy, it considers it as one of a range of goods that must be supported in a flourishing society. Family privacy therefore no longer serves as the trump card of state policy when families vary from liberal democratic norms; instead, it becomes one among many goods to be balanced. This, in turn, causes the supportive state to seek nuanced ways to respect family privacy while simultaneously furthering these other norms.Less
This chapter considers how the state should approach families that function in ways that vary from liberal democratic norms. The mainstream view that underlies contemporary theory and public policy has been simply to affirm the doctrine of family privacy until families fail, at which time coercive intervention in the family is deemed appropriate. It is argued that the supportive state does better in conceiving of families as requiring support in the normal course of events. Doing so will more often than not keep families from reaching the point of crisis and coercive intervention. At the same time, while the supportive state gives considerable weight to the good of family privacy, it considers it as one of a range of goods that must be supported in a flourishing society. Family privacy therefore no longer serves as the trump card of state policy when families vary from liberal democratic norms; instead, it becomes one among many goods to be balanced. This, in turn, causes the supportive state to seek nuanced ways to respect family privacy while simultaneously furthering these other norms.
Susan J. Zuravin, Mary Benedict, and Rebecca Stallings
- Published in print:
- 1999
- Published Online:
- January 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195109405
- eISBN:
- 9780199865789
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195109405.003.0013
- Subject:
- Social Work, Children and Families
This chapter reviews findings from research that focused on describing and comparing the young adult functioning of former foster care children and a matched group of adults who had not spent time in ...
More
This chapter reviews findings from research that focused on describing and comparing the young adult functioning of former foster care children and a matched group of adults who had not spent time in foster care; and determining whether the functioning of former kinship foster children differs from that of their nonrelative care counterparts. The methodologies used by these studies are assessed in order to provide direction for future research. The main findings are that, in general, former foster children appear to be less self-sufficient than their nonfoster care counterparts; and that former kin foster care children appear to be more self-sufficient than their nonrelative foster care counterparts.Less
This chapter reviews findings from research that focused on describing and comparing the young adult functioning of former foster care children and a matched group of adults who had not spent time in foster care; and determining whether the functioning of former kinship foster children differs from that of their nonrelative care counterparts. The methodologies used by these studies are assessed in order to provide direction for future research. The main findings are that, in general, former foster children appear to be less self-sufficient than their nonfoster care counterparts; and that former kin foster care children appear to be more self-sufficient than their nonrelative foster care counterparts.
Richard P. Barth, Shenyang Guo, Elizabeth C. Weigensberg, Sharon L. Christ, Christina M. Bruhn, and Rebecca L. Green
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- February 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195398465
- eISBN:
- 9780199863426
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195398465.003.0008
- Subject:
- Social Work, Children and Families, Health and Mental Health
This chapter examines the child and family characteristics that predict children's reunification with their families after out-of-home placement. For those children who are reunified, the ...
More
This chapter examines the child and family characteristics that predict children's reunification with their families after out-of-home placement. For those children who are reunified, the characteristics that foreshadow likely re-entry to foster care are analyzed. Regression models of reunification show significant gender and ethnic main effects in only the group of children 11 years old or older, despite the extensive set of statistical controls for human capital, cultural capital, and social capital factors. The developmental period after age 10 is when children are transitioning beyond parental and school supervision, to acquire the bridging social capital necessary for independent economic and social mobility in a post-traditional society.Less
This chapter examines the child and family characteristics that predict children's reunification with their families after out-of-home placement. For those children who are reunified, the characteristics that foreshadow likely re-entry to foster care are analyzed. Regression models of reunification show significant gender and ethnic main effects in only the group of children 11 years old or older, despite the extensive set of statistical controls for human capital, cultural capital, and social capital factors. The developmental period after age 10 is when children are transitioning beyond parental and school supervision, to acquire the bridging social capital necessary for independent economic and social mobility in a post-traditional society.
John E. B. Myers
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- April 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195169355
- eISBN:
- 9780199893348
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195169355.003.0008
- Subject:
- Social Work, Children and Families, Crime and Justice
Chapter 7 describes broad societal changes to reduce child maltreatment. Even if such changes are implemented, some abuse and neglect will occur, and this chapter makes specific recommendations to ...
More
Chapter 7 describes broad societal changes to reduce child maltreatment. Even if such changes are implemented, some abuse and neglect will occur, and this chapter makes specific recommendations to improve the existing child protection system. It critiques reform proposals by leading scholars on child protection including Duncan Lindsey, Leroy Pelton, and Elizabeth Bartholet. It addresses the lingering effects of racism on decision making in child protection. It argues that one of the primary weaknesses of today's child protection is that no single profession is clearly in charge of child protection. Claims to leadership are made by physicians, mental health professionals, lawyers, and social workers. The chapter asserts that social work must be at the helm, but that social work — particularly social work education — has abdicated its leadership role. It argues for a less adversarial child protection system. In a similar vein, it advocates changes to laws requiring professionals to report suspected maltreatment. It offers recommendations to strengthen foster care, including the new type of foster care called Temporary Permanent Attachment Care (TEPAC). The chapter ends with a controversial proposal to reinvigorate America's juvenile courts.Less
Chapter 7 describes broad societal changes to reduce child maltreatment. Even if such changes are implemented, some abuse and neglect will occur, and this chapter makes specific recommendations to improve the existing child protection system. It critiques reform proposals by leading scholars on child protection including Duncan Lindsey, Leroy Pelton, and Elizabeth Bartholet. It addresses the lingering effects of racism on decision making in child protection. It argues that one of the primary weaknesses of today's child protection is that no single profession is clearly in charge of child protection. Claims to leadership are made by physicians, mental health professionals, lawyers, and social workers. The chapter asserts that social work must be at the helm, but that social work — particularly social work education — has abdicated its leadership role. It argues for a less adversarial child protection system. In a similar vein, it advocates changes to laws requiring professionals to report suspected maltreatment. It offers recommendations to strengthen foster care, including the new type of foster care called Temporary Permanent Attachment Care (TEPAC). The chapter ends with a controversial proposal to reinvigorate America's juvenile courts.
William Meezan and Bowen McBeath
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- January 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195304961
- eISBN:
- 9780199863648
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195304961.003.0015
- Subject:
- Social Work, Children and Families, Research and Evaluation
This chapter describes the changes that foster care agencies made, or anticipated making, as they shifted to a performance-based contracting system. Using qualitative analyses of sixty-four in-depth ...
More
This chapter describes the changes that foster care agencies made, or anticipated making, as they shifted to a performance-based contracting system. Using qualitative analyses of sixty-four in-depth interviews with administrators and supervisors from nine non-profit child welfare agencies, the study compares the actual adaptations made by agencies working in this environment to changes that other agencies anticipated making as they moved into to this environment. The chapter identifies multiple organizational, managerial, and staff-related changes undertaken by child welfare agencies entering this contracting environment, finds that agencies entering performance-based environments do not anticipate the depth of change necessary to succeed within them, discusses the differences in perceptions of changes that occur between staff at various organizational levels, and notes the impact of this performance-based contracting on agency staff and foster children.Less
This chapter describes the changes that foster care agencies made, or anticipated making, as they shifted to a performance-based contracting system. Using qualitative analyses of sixty-four in-depth interviews with administrators and supervisors from nine non-profit child welfare agencies, the study compares the actual adaptations made by agencies working in this environment to changes that other agencies anticipated making as they moved into to this environment. The chapter identifies multiple organizational, managerial, and staff-related changes undertaken by child welfare agencies entering this contracting environment, finds that agencies entering performance-based environments do not anticipate the depth of change necessary to succeed within them, discusses the differences in perceptions of changes that occur between staff at various organizational levels, and notes the impact of this performance-based contracting on agency staff and foster children.
