This article estimates the relative effects of socioeconomic status and parenting knowledge and behaviors on whether nurse practitioners perceive a family as being suspected of or confirmed for child maltreatment during the first 3 years of a child’s life. Results suggest that both socioeconomic status and parenting characteristics contribute substantially to perceived maltreatment. While paren...

T HE public welfare agencies of all 53 States administered funds for child welfare services under the Social Security Act during the year ended June 30, 1952, when more than $113 million was spent for services. The total, which is an estimate based on reports received by the Children’s Bureau from 45 of the 53 State agencies, represents funds from Federal, State, and local sources. An estimated...

Youth transitioning out of foster care face significant medical and mental health care needs. Unfortunately, these youth rarely receive the services they need because of lack of health insurance. Through many policies and programs, the federal government has taken steps to support older youth in foster care and those aging out. The Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act o...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Poor school outcomes for children in out-of-home placement (OHP) raise concerns about the adequacy of child welfare and educational policy for this vulnerable population. We analyzed the relation between OHP and academic achievement, focusing on reading and math achievement in grades 3 through 8. METHODS Linked administrative data were used for our analytic sample co...

The majority of children placed into foster care are separated from their siblings upon entering the child welfare system. Some research suggests that siblings enjoy more stable home environments and fewer behavioral problems when placed together in care. The sibling relationship may provide stability, consistency, and unconditional positive regard to the children most at risk for poor outcomes...

Disproportionality in the child welfare system refers to the overor underrepresentation of a group (usually a racial/ethnic group) compared to that group’s representation in a base population (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2016). This research brief explores rates of racial disproportionality in the Illinois child welfare system. It is the second brief in a series exploring disproportional...

This article examines the utility of racial disproportionality and disparity data to measure the performance and outcomes of child welfare systems. Given the differential patterns of entry, exit and service responses for black, indigenous and ethnic minority children in many child welfare systems around the world, the conceptualisation of both quality and outcomes should take account of their n...

This study compares news representations of Aboriginal child welfare agencies with those of provincial authorities such as BC’s Ministry of Children and Family Development. News coverage of critical incidents involving children under the care of provincial bodies focused on systemic problems such as programs cuts, scarcity of resources and organizational deficiencies—conditions over which indiv...