Children and

Family Research Center

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

School of Social WorkTM

Return to Care:

What are the Factors Involved in Children

Reentering Foster Care?

November, 2003

Gail Tittle

• Permanency for children continues to be a priority but is difficult to achieve.

• There are varying results from studies on foster care recidivism.

• We need to know more about why children reenter foster care.

Background

• Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980

• Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997

Background

Rates of Reentry

Previous Studies• Festinger (1994) 1 yr. 12.7%• Block & Libowitz (1983)2 yr. 16%• Fanshel & Shinn (1978) 5 yr. 16%• U.S. DHHS (1998) 1 yr. 17%• Fein et al. (1983) 2 yr. 22%• Wulczyn (1991) 5 yr. 22%• Sherman et al. (1973) 1 yr. 27%• Wulczyn et al. (2000) 8 yrs. 29%• Frame et al. (2000) 4-6 yrs. 32%• Terling (2000) 3½ yrs. 37%

Factors in Reentry

Types of Maltreatment

• Neglect

• Physical abuse

• Child reason only (anti-social behavior)

Factors in Reentry

Foster Care Experience

• Previous child welfare experience

• Placement history

• Timing of reentry/reabuse

• Services

Factors in Reentry

Child Characteristics

• Age

• Race

• Emotional / behavioral characteristics

Factors in Reentry

Parent Characteristics

• Problems

• Mother-focused

• Visitation

Factors in Reentry

Family Characteristics

• Single vs. two-parent families

• Siblings

• Socioeconomic status

• Social support

Methodology

Data Collection

• Phase 1: Illinois Department of Children and Family Services Integrated Administrative Database

• Phase 2: Caseworker Surveys

• Future - Phase 3: Foster Parent Surveys

Methodology

Total Sample

• Cohort of foster children from FY 2000

• 724 children who returned home – 349 remained at home– 375 returned to foster care

• Stratified by placement type

Methodology

Subsample: Caseworker Survey

• Cohort of foster children from FY 2000

• 295 children who returned home – 121 remained at home– 174 returned to foster care

• Stratified by placement type

Methodology

Dependent Variable

• Whether the child reentered foster care or remained home within 12 months of return home from foster care

Methodology

Independent Variables• Placement history

• Agency factors

• Service factors

• Birth parent support

• Child factors

• Caseworker factors

Findings

• Number of foster care placements

• *Length of time in care

Placement History (prior to return home)

Findings

Number of Placements

Reentry Status

ReentryNo Reentry

Co

un

t

160

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

0

Number of placements

1

2

3

4

5

more than 5

Findings

Length of Time in Care

Reentry Status

ReentryNo Reentry

Co

un

t160

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

0

Time in care

up to 6 months

6 months - 1 year

1 - 3 years

3 - 5 years

5 - 7 years

over 7 years

Findings

Length of Time in Care

Reentry Status

ReentryNo Reentry

Per

cent

80

60

40

20

0

Time in care

up to 6 months

6 months - 1 year

1 - 3 years

3 - 5 years

5 - 7 years

over 7 years

27

73

39

61

42

58

5149

43

57

66

34

Findings

• *Type of agency – public or private

• *Location of agency - region

Agency Factors

Findings

Type of Agency

Reentry Status

ReentryNo Reentry

Co

un

t

240

220

200

180

160

140

120

100

Agency Type

Public

Private

Findings

Type of Agency

Reentry Status

ReentryNo Reentry

Per

cent

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

Agency Type

Public

Private

45

55

61

39

Findings

Agency Location

Reentry Status

ReentryNo Reentry

Co

un

t

200

100

0

Region in Illinois

Northern

Central

Southern

Cook County

Findings

Agency Location

Rentry Status

ReentryNo Reentry

Per

cent

80

60

40

20

0

Region in Illinois

Northern

Central

Southern

Cook County

35

65

70

30

60

40

61

39

Findings

• Parent visitation

• Services child received in care

• Services parent received while child in care

• Aftercare services received by child

• Aftercare services received by parent

Service Factors

Findings

Parent Visitation

Reentry Status

ReentryNo Reentry

Cou

nt100

80

60

40

20

0

Frequency of Visits

1 x week

supervised daytime

More than 1 x week

supervised daytime

1 x week

unsupervised daytime

More than 1 x week

unsupervised daytime

Unsupervised

overnights

Findings

Parent Visitation

Reentry Status

ReentryNo Reentry

Per

cent

80

60

40

20

0

Frequency of visits

1 x week

supervised daytime

More than 1 x week

supervised daytime

1 x week

unsupevised daytime

More than 1 x week

unsupervised daytime

Unsupervised

overnights

54

46

57

43

60

40

5050

71

29

Findings

Child Services in Care

• *Counseling/therapy

• *Drug or alcohol treatment

• Psychological testing

• *School attendance or tutoring

• Other services

Findings

Counseling/therapy• 126 cases• Of those who achieved therapy goal(111),

39% did not reenter and 61% did reenter.• Of those who did not reenter (45), 96%

achieved therapy goal.• Of those who did reenter (81), 84%

achieved therapy goal.

Findings

Drug/alcohol treatment• 156 cases• Of those who received treatment (16), only

6% (1) did no reenter, while 94% (15) did reenter.

• Of those who did not reenter (57), 2% received treatment.

• Of those who did reenter (99), 15% received treatment.

Findings

School attendance/tutoring• 121 cases• Of those who achieved school goal (111),

38% did not reenter and 62% did reenter.• Of those who did not reenter (42), 100%

(42) achieved school goal.• Of those who reentered (79), 87% achieved

school goal.

Findings

Parent Services During Care• *Parenting classes

• *Drug or alcohol treatment

• Psychological testing

• Urine screening or random drops

• *Individual or family counseling

• *Other services

Findings

Parenting Classes• 175 cases

• Of those who achieved goal (156), 49% did not reenter and 51% did reenter.

• Of those who did not reenter (79), 96% achieved goal.

• Of those who did reenter (96), 83% achieved goal.

Findings

Drug or Alcohol Treatment• 122 cases

• Of those who achieved goal (99), 47.5% did not reenter and 52.5% did reenter.

• Of those who did not reenter (52), 90% achieved goal.

• Of those who did reenter (70), 74% achieved goal.

Findings

Counseling• 210 cases

• Of those who achieved goal (178), 46% did not reenter and 54% did reenter.

• Of those who did not reenter (86), 95% achieved goal.

• Of those who did reenter (124), 77% achieved goal.

Findings

Other Services• 149 cases

• Of those who achieved goal (128), 45% did not reenter and 55% did reenter.

• Of those who did not reenter (60), 97% achieved goal.

• Of those who did reenter (89), 79% achieved goal.

Findings

Aftercare Services for Child

• Counseling

• Medical services

• Educational services

• *Other

Findings

Other Aftercare Services for Child

• 189 cases• Of those who received other services (97),

31% did not reenter and 69% did reenter.• Of those who did not reenter (74), 40.5%

received other services.• Of those who did reenter (115), 58%

received other services.

Findings

Aftercare Services for Parent

• Outpatient drug treatment

• Individual counseling

• Parenting classes

• Support group

• Respite services

• Advocacy

• *Other

Findings

Other Aftercare Services for Parent• 257 cases• Of those who received other services (165),

45.5% did not reenter and 54.5% did reenter.

• Of those who did not reenter (102), 73.5% received other services.

• Of those who did reenter (155), 58% received other services.

Findings

• Support System

• *Caseworker Contact

Birth Parent Support

Findings

Birth Parent Support System

Reentry Status

ReentryNo Reentry

Cou

nt

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

0

Support

Yes

No

Findings

Caseworker Contact

Reentry Status

ReentryNo Reentry

Cou

nt80

60

40

20

0

Frequency

More than 1 x week

1 x week

A few x month

1 x month

Less than 1 x month

Findings

Caseworker Contact

Reentry Status

ReentryNo Reentry

Per

cent

100

80

60

40

20

0

Frequency

More than 1 x week

1 x week

A few x month

1 x month

Less than 1 x month

5050

20

80

67

33

5248

76

24

Findings

• *Age– At entry– At return home

• *Race

• Gender

• *Behavioral problems

Child Characteristics

Findings

Child’s Age at Entry

Reentry Status

ReentryNo Reentry

Co

un

t

100

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

Age Group at Entry

less than 1 year

1-3 years

3-6 years

6-9 years

9-12 years

12 years and over

Findings

Child’s Age at Entry

Reentry Status

ReentryNo Reentry

Per

cent

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

Age group at Entry

less than 1 year

1-3 years

3-6 years

6-9 years

9-12 years

12 years and over

68

32

61

39

4951

44

56

46

54

44

56

Findings

Child’s Age at Return Home

Reentry Status

ReentryNo Reentry

Co

un

t

160

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

0

Age at Return Home

less than 1 year

1-3 years

3-6 years

6-9 years

9-12 years

12 years and over

Findings

Child’s Age at Return Home

Reentry Status

ReentryNo Reentry

Per

cent

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

Age at Return Home

less than 1 year

1-3 years

3-6 years

6-9 years

9-12 years

12 years and over

65

35

5248

36

64

48

52

44

5658

42

Findings

Child’s Race

Reentry Status

ReentryNo Reentry

Cou

nt

300

200

100

0

Child Race

Black

White

Hispanic

Other

Findings

Child’s Race

Reentry Status

ReentryNo Reentry

Per

cent

80

60

40

20

0

Child Race

Black

White

Hispanic

Other

60

40

29

71

63

37

44

56

Findings

Child’s Gender

Reentry Status

ReentryNo Reentry

Co

un

t

220

210

200

190

180

170

160

150

Child gender

Male

Female

Findings

Child’s Gender

Reentry Status

ReentryNo Reentry

Per

cent

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

Child gender

Male

Female

5149

53

47

Findings

Child’s Behavior

Reentry Status

ReentryNo Reentry

Co

un

t

100

80

60

40

20

0

Behavior

Unknow n

No or few problems

Problems

Many problems

Findings

Child’s Behavior

Reentry Status

ReentryNo Reentry

Per

cent

80

60

40

20

0

Behavior

Unknown

No or few problems

Problems

Many problems

73

27

74

26

4852

64

36

Findings

• Race

• Education– Degree– Level

• Experience

Caseworker Factors

Findings

Caseworker’s Race

Reentry Status

ReentryNo Reentry

Cou

nt140

120

100

80

60

40

20

0

Caseworker Race

Black

White

Hispanic

Other

Findings

Caseworker’s Degree

Reentry Status

ReentryNo Reentry

Co

un

t

160

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

0

MSW

Yes

No

Reentry Status

ReentryNo Reentry

Cou

nt

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

0

BSW

Yes

No

No response

BSW

MSW

Findings

Caseworker’s Education

Reentry Status

ReentryNo Reentry

Cou

nt

100

80

60

40

20

0

Caseworker Education

Less than Bachelor's

Bachelor's degree

Some graduate work

Master's or higher

Findings

Caseworker’s Experience

Reentry Status

ReentryNo Reentry

Cou

nt100

80

60

40

20

0

CW Experience

Less than 5 years

5 - 10 years

More than 10 years

Conclusion

• Agency type

• Agency location

• Child’s age at entry

• Child’s race

• Child services during placement: therapy, drug treatment, school

Conclusion

• Parent services during placement: therapy, drug treatment, parenting

• Length of time in care

• Child’s age at return home

• Child’s level of behavior problems

• Caseworker contact after return home