Transcript Slide 1

Risks of Reentry into the Foster
Care System
for Children who Reunified
Terry V. Shaw, MSW
University of California, Berkeley
School of Social Welfare
This research is funded by the California Department
of Social Services and the Stuart Foundation
Presented at the National Resource Center for Child Welfare
Data and Technology 8th National Child Welfare Data Conference
Outline
1. Brief overview of federal outcome
measures related to reentries.
2. Overview of prior research on foster
care reentries.
3. Discussion of the population and
methods used for this project.
4. Examination of the results.
5. Conclusions
6. Implications
Outcomes, outcomes, everywhere
(or why bother looking at reentry?)
There have been multiple instances of federal
legislation calling for the development of
Child Welfare outcome measures.
• Government Performance and Results Act
of 1993 (GPRA)
Outcomes, outcomes … continued
ASFA (the Adoption and Safe Families Act)
mandated that outcome reports be given to
Congress.
• Reduce recurrence of child abuse and/or neglect,
• Reduce the incidence of child abuse and/or neglect in
foster care,
• Increase permanency for children in foster care,
• Reduce time in foster care to reunification without
increasing re-entry,
• Reduce time in foster care to adoption,
• Increase placement stability, and
• Reduce placements of young children in group homes
or institutions.
Outcomes, outcomes … continued
• Statewide Data Indicators in Child and
Family Services Reviews (a subset of
the Annual Outcomes)
• We want to ensure that children are in
safe and stable homes. Reentering
care is a sign that the reunification was
not optimal.
Foster Care Reentries
Of all the children who entered care during the year
under review, what percent re-entered foster care
within 12 months of a prior foster care episode?
National Standard 8.6% or less:
Percent reentered within 12 months of prior episode
Percent
15
10
8.6
9.3
5
0
National Standard
UCB CA 2000 Est
Foster Care Reentries
Does not follow children through care
from their initial entry to the reunification
and then to reentry.
The federal measure does not look at
reentries after 12 months even though
Reentry continues to occur well after 12
months.
Longitudinal alternative:
For all children who enter care and are reunified, what %
reenter within 3 mo, 12 mo, 24 mo after reunification?
Previous Research on Reentry to Care
Authors and Articles
Courtney, Mark E. (1994). "Factors Associated with the Reunification of
Foster Children with Their Families." Social Service Review 68 (1): 81-108
Festinger, T. (1994). Returning to Care: Discharge and Reentry into Foster
Care. Washington, DC: Child Welfare League of America.
Frame, L., Berrick, J.D., Brodowski, M.L. (2000) “Understanding reentry to
foster care for reunified infants.” Child Welfare, 79 (4), pp. 339-369 .
Frame, L., (2002) “Maltreatment reports and placement outcomes for
infants and toddlers in out-of-home care.” Infant Mental Health Journal, 23
(5), pp. 517-540 .
Wells, Kathleen and Shenyang Guo (1999) “Reunification and Reentry of
Foster Children.” Children and Youth Services Review, 21 (4): 273-294
Wulczyn, Fred (1991). "Caseload Dynamics and Foster Care Reentry."
Social Service Review 65: 133-156.
Research on Reentry to Care
• Length of Time in Care prior to
Reunification.
• Type of placement a child experiences
in foster care.
• Number of placements while in foster
care.
• Race/Ethnicity of the Child.
• Age of child at entry into foster care.
Research on Reentry (continued…)
• Reason for removal from home or
entry into the foster care system.
• Caregiver Drug/Alcohol use.
• Poverty status (children receiving
AFDC).
• Marital status (single or multi-parent
homes).
• Geographic location (urban/rural).
• Child health factors.
Study Population
• First Entries to Child Welfare Supervised
Foster Care in California (1998-2001).
• Initial stays greater than 5 days.
• Children reunifying within 12 months of initial
entry into foster care.
• Missing placement types excluded.
• Question: What are the differences between
the children who reenter care within one year
after reunification and those who do not?
Variables Examined
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Child’s Race/Ethnicity
Child’s Gender
First Entry Year
Reason for removal from home.
Time in Care prior to reunification.
Predominant Placement Type
Placement Moves
Variables Examined (continued…)
• Title 4e Eligible
– Whether the child was found eligible for AFDC or
not.
• Did the parent(s) receive drug or alcohol
services?
– Inpatient or Outpatient Substance Abuse
Services.
– FP – Drug Treatment
– Substance Abuse Services and Testing
– 12-Step Program
• Family structure child was removed from.
Variables Examined (continued…)
• Primary language spoken at home.
• Number of placement moves while in
foster care.
• Entry Rates at the census tract level.
• Population characteristic (census
tract).
– Percent Female Headed Households
– Percent Below Poverty.
– Percent Unemployed.
1998-2001 First Entries to Foster Care
First Entries, Reunification in 12 Months and Reentries within 12 Months
35,000
30,981
29,332
30,000
28,354
27,810
25,000
20,000
15,000
10,000
9,904
9,388
9,313
8,745
5,000
1,164
1,145
1,278
1,299
0
1998 Entry Year
1999 Entry Year
First Entries
Reunification in 12 Months
2000 Entry Year
Reentry after Reunification
2001 Entry Year
1998-2001 First Entries into Foster Care
100%
90%
80%
70%
22,236
20,019
18,422
18,450
79,127
8,168
8,110
8,605
7,581
32,464
1,164
1,145
1,278
1,299
4,886
1998
1999
2000
2001
Overall
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Reunified by 12 Months and reenter within 12 Months
Reunified by 12 Months, no reentry
Still in Care at 12 Months
First Entries to Foster Care by Ethnic Group and Entry Year
(Children in Care 5 Days or More)
California
Black
White
Hispanic
Asian/Oth.
Nat Amer
Missing
Total
1998
n
6,755
10,625
12,147
928
350
176
30,981
1999
%
21.9
34.5
39.4
3
1.1
.
100
n
6,475
9,587
11,693
1,008
354
215
29,332
2000
%
22.2
32.9
40.2
3.5
1.2
.
100
n
5,716
8,976
11,671
902
377
168
27,810
2001
%
20.7
32.5
42.2
3.3
1.4
.
100
n
5,593
9,347
12,010
915
342
147
28,354
http://cssr3.socwel.berkeley.edu/CWSCMSreports/cohorts/firstentries/
Note: California child population is 7% Black, 35% White, 44% Hispanic
10% Asian/Other, 0.5% Native American, 3.5% two or more.
%
19.8
33.1
42.6
3.2
1.2
.
100
Ethnic Characteristics of Reunified Population
465
1%
1,625
4%
455
1%
6,448
17%
Black
White
Hispanic
14,478
40%
Asian/Pacific
Island
Native
American
13,878
37%
Other
Gender characteristics
Reunification
49%
51%
Reentries
48%
52%
Age at First Entry into Foster Care
Children who Reunified within 12 Months
Ages 11-18
9,553
26%
Age < 1
5,473
15%
Ages 1- 5
12,209
32%
Ages 6-10
10,113
27%
First Entries to Foster Care by Entry Year
28,354
24%
27,810
24%
1998 Entry Year
1999 Entry Year
30,981
27%
Overall Population
of children who reunified
by First Entry Year
29,332
25%
2000 Entry Year
First Entries to Foster Care
Children who Reunify within 12 months by Entry Year
2001 Entry Year
9,904
27%
9,388
25%
1998 Entry Year
1999 Entry Year
8,745
23%
9,313
25%
2000 Entry Year
2001 Entry Year
Gender of 1998-2000 First Entries Into Foster Care
Reunifying within 12 Months and Children Reentering Care 12 Months after Reunification
100%
75%
4,327
572
4,542
550
4,558
599
4,783
642
18,210
2,363
4,417
592
4,770
595
4,830
679
5,119
657
19,136
2,523
1998
Reuni
1998
Reenter
1999
Reuni
1999
Reenter
2000
Reuni
2000
Reenter
2001
Reuni
2001
Reenter
Overall
Reuni
Overall
Reenter
50%
25%
0%
Female
Male
Age at First Entry Into Foster Care
Reunifying within 12 Months and Children Reentering Care 12
Months after Reunification
100%
90%
2,131
235
2,315
249
2,485
303
2,622
308
9,553
1,095
80%
70%
60%
286
2,334
2,586
295
282
2,525
302
2,668
1,165
10,113
50%
40%
30%
403
2,990
439
382
3,059
12,209
3,135
3,025
1,650
426
20%
10%
1,290
240
254
1,353
219
1999 Reuni
1999
Reenter
2000 Reuni
2000
Reenter
2001 Reuni
Age < 1
Ages 1- 5
Ages 6-10
Ages 11-18
1,351
1,479
263
5,473
976
0%
1998 Reuni
1998
Reenter
2001
Reenter
Overall
Reuni
Overall
Reenter
Child's Ethnicity
Reunifying within 12 Months and Children Reentering Care 12
Months after Reunification
100%
374
34
18
413
448
34
36
391
1,626
122
90%
80%
368
3,303
369
3,606
70%
1,615
426
452
3,489
14,478
4,080
60%
50%
470
502
40%
3,517
3,443
3,378
509
521
2,002
13,878
3,540
30%
20%
10%
1,428
241
1,651
256
1,722
253
1,647
1998 Reuni
1998
Reenter
1999 Reuni
1999
Reenter
2000 Reuni
2000
Reenter
2001 Reuni
288
6,448
1,038
Overall
Reuni
Overall
Reenter
0%
Black
White
Hispanic
Asian/Pacific Island
2001
Reenter
Native American
Other
Results
• Sibling correction was used allowing for the inclusion of all
siblings in a sibling group.
• Adjustments in standard errors made by using GEE
(Generalized Estimating Equations) as part of a logistic
regression analysis.
• Adjusts the standard errors to account for potential
correlation due to clustered data – in this case due to
sibling groups.
Limitations
• The data for this study is based on an
administrative data system.
• Measures of drug/alcohol services
only examine recommended services,
not whether the services were used.
Models Used
• Bivariate analysis
• Interim model
– Does not account for community
indicators, poverty indicators, or
services
• Full model
– Contains all of the variables discussed
earlier
Odds of Reentry - Ethnicity
Bivariate
Interim
Model
Full
Model
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.33
1.13
ns
Hispanic
0.84
0.86
ns
Asian
0.65
0.68
ns
ns
ns
ns
0.31
0.29
0.35
White
Black
Native American
Other
Odds of Reentry – Reason for Removal
Bivariate
Interim
Model
Full
Model
Neglect
1.00
1.00
1.00
Physical Abuse
0.74
0.77
ns
Sexual Abuse
0.72
0.74
ns
Other Abuse
ns
ns
ns
Odds of Reentry – Length of time in Care
Bivariate
Interim
Model
Full
Model
0-3 Months
1.00
1.00
1.00
3-6 Months
ns
0.85
0.73
6-9 Months
0.62
0.63
0.51
9-12 Months
0.63
0.65
0.52
Odds of Reentry – Age at Entry
Bivariate
Interim
Model
Full
Model
Age 0
1.00
1.00
1.00
Age 1-5
0.88
0.89
0.90
Age 6-10
0.84
0.87
0.88
Age 11-18
0.88
ns
ns
Odds of Reentry – Predominant Placement
Bivariate
Interim
Model
Full
Model
Kinship Care
1.00
1.00
1.00
Foster Care
1.48
1.32
1.34
1.35
1.29
1.25
ns
ns
ns
Group
1.35
1.23
1.38
Shelter
1.21
ns
1.44
ns
ns
ns
FFA
Court Spec.
Guardian
Odds of Reentry – Other Factors
Bivariate
Full
Model
Title 4e Eligible
2.01
2.14
Drug/Alcohol Services
2.32
2.33
Single Parent
1.19
1.16
Primary Language
0.56
0.65
Placement Moves
ns
ns
Odds of Reentry – Other Factors, pt 2
Percent Female
Headed Household
Percent Below Poverty
Entry Rate
Percent Unemployed
Bivariate
Community
Model
1.01
1.01
ns
0.99
1.10
1.08
ns
ns
Conclusions
• When variables measuring poverty, drug
and alcohol services, and marital status are
added into the model – ethnicity is not a
significant predictor of reentry.
• Gender is not a significant predictor of
reentry.
• A longer stay in care initially is protective.
(The shorter the initial stay in care the
higher the likelihood of reentry).
Conclusions (continued…)
• The older a child is at first entry the
less likely they are to reenter
compared to infants.
• Compared to kinship care, different
predominant placement types
increase a child’s odds of reentry.
• Children who are 4e eligible are over
2X more likely to reenter care than
non-4e eligible children.
Conclusions (continued…)
• Children whose parent(s) are assigned
drug/alcohol services are over 2X more
likely to reenter care than other children.
• Coming from a primarily non-English
speaking home is protective. Children from
primarily non-English speaking homes are
2/3 as likely to reenter care.
• For every 1% increase in the pct of female
headed households in the census tract
there is 1.01X the odds of reentering care.
Conclusions (continued…)
• For every 10 per 1,000 increase in the
entry rate at the Census Tract level
there is 1.08X increase in the odds of
reentering foster care.
• Gender, Entry Year, Number of
placement moves, Percent Below the
Poverty Line and Percent Unemployed
were not significant predictors of
reentry.
Implications
• For children in care for only a short
period of time - post-reunification
services should be available for at least
12 months.
• Workers need to be aware of how
severe of an effect poverty has on
children's risk of entry/reentry.
• Formalized coordination with
drug/alcohol services, and mental
health services are needed.
The End!
Center for Social Services Research Web Page
http://cssr.berkeley.edu/CWSCMSReports
Terry V. Shaw – [email protected]
(510) 643 - 2585