Characteristics of children placed in foster care, family-style group care and residential care: A cross-sectional study

When risky family-circumstances and development-threatening child characteristics cannot be addressed at home, out-of-home placement is considered to be a useful strategy. However, to reduce the risk of a breakdown and of poor... [ view full abstract ]

When risky family-circumstances and development-threatening child characteristics cannot be addressed at home, out-of-home placement is considered to be a useful strategy. However, to reduce the risk of a breakdown and of poor prognostic placement outcomes, a better insight into the child, family, care history, and social-cultural characteristics at admission in the three main settings of out-of-home care (foster care, family-style group care, and residential care) is needed. A cross-sectional study is conducted to explore similarities and differences in characteristics at admission of 200 Dutch school-aged children who were placed in foster, family-style group, and residential care. Data are collected through questionnaires for the children’s carers, substitute caregivers, and behavioral scientists. In addition, case file information is used. To systematically report similarities and differences in characteristics at admission of the children in the three main settings of out-of-home care, an adaptation of the developmental framework of Kerig, Ludlow, and Wenar (2012) is used. Results show severe developmental and family problems in all out-of-home placed children. However, several remarkable differences in characteristics at admission are found. This indicates that the three types of out-of-home care serve children with different needs.
In the poster presentation, the main findings will be presented, in particular focusing on the remarkable differences between children in foster care, family-style group care and residential care.