IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/cysrev/v100y2019icp468-479.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The revolving door of families in the child welfare system: Risk and protective factors associated with families returning

Author

Listed:
  • Davidson, Ryan D.
  • Tomlinson, Claire S.
  • Beck, Connie J.
  • Bowen, Anne M.

Abstract

The number of families involved in the child welfare system (including child protective services, foster care, juvenile court) has increased since 2011(Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System, 2015). Professionals involved in these systems have discussed the increase in number of families who return to the child welfare system after an initial case closure. We aim to identify risk and protective factors associated with families returning to the system within a social ecological framework, to identify gaps in the current literature, and to discuss areas for future research. A literature search was conducted using PsycInfo, PubMED, and SociIndex through June 2017 on three case outcomes: reunification, re-entry/reactivation, and termination of parental rights. The authors then reviewed the articles located and highlight the findings using a social ecological framework.

Suggested Citation

  • Davidson, Ryan D. & Tomlinson, Claire S. & Beck, Connie J. & Bowen, Anne M., 2019. "The revolving door of families in the child welfare system: Risk and protective factors associated with families returning," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 468-479.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:100:y:2019:i:c:p:468-479
    DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2019.03.012
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0190740918309794
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.childyouth.2019.03.012?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Lu, Yuhwa Eva & Landsverk, John & Ellis-Macleod, Elissa & Newton, Rae & Ganger, William & Johnson, Ivory, 2004. "Race, ethnicity, and case outcomes in child protective services," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 26(5), pages 447-461, May.
    2. Kortenkamp, Katherine & Geen, Rob & Stagner, Matthew, 2004. "The role of welfare and work in predicting foster care reunification rates for children of welfare recipients," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 26(6), pages 577-590, June.
    3. Shaw, Terry V., 2010. "Reunification from foster care: Informing measures over time," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(4), pages 475-481, April.
    4. Marcenko, Maureen O. & Lyons, Sandra J. & Courtney, Mark, 2011. "Mothers' experiences, resources and needs: The context for reunification," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(3), pages 431-438, March.
    5. Courtney, Mark E. & Yin-Ling Irene Wong, 1996. "Comparing the timing of exits from substitute care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 18(4-5), pages 307-334.
    6. Yu, S.M. & Huang, Z.J. & Schwalberg, R.H. & Nyman, R.M., 2006. "Parental english proficiency and children's health services access," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 96(8), pages 1449-1455.
    7. Connell, Christian M. & Katz, Karol H. & Saunders, Leon & Tebes, Jacob Kraemer, 2006. "Leaving foster care--the influence of child and case characteristics on foster care exit rates," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 28(7), pages 780-798, July.
    8. Eldred, Lindsey M. & Gifford, Elizabeth J., 2016. "Empirical evidence on legal levers aimed at addressing child maltreatment," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 11-19.
    9. Shaw, Terry V., 2006. "Reentry into the foster care system after reunification," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 28(11), pages 1375-1390, November.
    10. Chaffin, Mark & Friedrich, Bill, 2004. "Evidence-based treatments in child abuse and neglect," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 26(11), pages 1097-1113, November.
    11. Snowden, Jessica & Leon, Scott & Sieracki, Jeffrey, 2008. "Predictors of children in foster care being adopted: A classification tree analysis," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(11), pages 1318-1327, November.
    12. Knott, Theresa & Donovan, Kirsten, 2010. "Disproportionate representation of African-American children in foster care: Secondary analysis of the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System, 2005," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(5), pages 679-684, May.
    13. Shipe, Stacey L. & Shaw, Terry V. & Betsinger, Sara & Farrell, Jill L., 2017. "Expanding the conceptualization of re-entry: The inter-play between child welfare and juvenile services," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 256-262.
    14. Fuller, Tamara L., 2005. "Child safety at reunification: A case-control study of maltreatment recurrence following return home from substitute care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 27(12), pages 1293-1306, December.
    15. Harris, Marian S. & Courtney, Mark E., 2003. "The interaction of race, ethnicity, and family structure with respect to the timing of family reunification," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 25(5-6), pages 409-429.
    16. Ahn, Haksoon & DePanfilis, Diane & Frick, Kevin & Barth, Richard P., 2018. "Estimating minimum adequate foster care costs for children in the United States," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 55-67.
    17. Yampolskaya, Svetlana & Armstrong, Mary I. & Vargo, Amy C., 2007. "Factors associated with exiting and reentry into out-of-home care under Community-Based Care in Florida," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(10), pages 1352-1367, October.
    18. Jonson-Reid, Melissa, 2003. "Foster Care and Future Risk of Maltreatment," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 25(4), pages 271-294, April.
    19. Landsverk, John & Davis, Inger & Ganger, William & Newton, Rae & Johnson, Ivory, 1996. "Impact of child psychosocial functioning on reunification from out-of-home placement," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 18(4-5), pages 447-462.
    20. Becker, Marion A. & Jordan, Neil & Larsen, Rebecca, 2007. "Predictors of successful permanency planning and length of stay in foster care: The role of race, diagnosis and place of residence," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(8), pages 1102-1113, August.
    21. Wells, Kathleen & Guo, Shenyang, 1999. "Reunification and reentry of foster children," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 21(4), pages 273-294, April.
    22. Vogel, Cheri A., 1999. "Using Administrative Databases to Examine Factors Affecting Length of Stay in Substitute Care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 21(8), pages 677-690, August.
    23. Meyer, Andrea S. & McWey, Lenore M. & McKendrick, Wachell & Henderson, Tammy L., 2010. "Substance using parents, foster care, and termination of parental rights: The importance of risk factors for legal outcomes," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(5), pages 639-649, May.
    24. Harris, Marian S. & Hackett, Wanda, 2008. "Decision points in child welfare: An action research model to address disproportionality," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(2), pages 199-215, February.
    25. Akin, Becci A., 2011. "Predictors of foster care exits to permanency: A competing risks analysis of reunification, guardianship, and adoption," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(6), pages 999-1011, June.
    26. Gilbert, Neil, 2012. "A comparative study of child welfare systems: Abstract orientations and concrete results," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 34(3), pages 532-536.
    27. Jedwab, Merav & Shaw, Terry V., 2017. "Predictors of reentry into the foster care system: Comparison of children with and without previous removal experience," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 177-184.
    28. Hines, Alice M & Lemon, Kathy & Wyatt, Paige & Merdinger, Joan, 2004. "Factors related to the disproportionate involvement of children of color in the child welfare system: a review and emerging themes," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 26(6), pages 507-527, June.
    29. Armstrong, K. & Ravenell, K.L. & McMurphy, S. & Putt, M., 2007. "Racial/ethnic differences in physician distrust in the United States," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 97(7), pages 1283-1289.
    30. Barth, Richard P. & Weigensberg, Elizabeth C. & Fisher, Philip A. & Fetrow, Becky & Green, Rebecca L., 2008. "Reentry of elementary aged children following reunification from foster care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(4), pages 353-364, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Dare, Julie & Wilkinson, Celia & Karthigesu, Shantha P. & Coall, David A. & Marquis, Ruth, 2023. "Keeping the family: A socio-ecological perspective on the challenges of child removal and reunification for mothers who have experienced substance-related harms," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    2. Finster, Heather P. & Norwalk, Kate E., 2021. "Characteristics, experiences, and mental health of children who re-enter foster care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).
    3. Collins, Cyleste C. & Bai, Rong & Fischer, Robert & Crampton, David & Lalich, Nina & Liu, Chun & Chan, Tsui, 2020. "Housing instability and child welfare: Examining the delivery of innovative services in the context of a randomized controlled trial," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
    4. Buisson, Camille & Poitras, Karine & Joyal, Christian C., 2024. "Risk of child sexual abuse: A mixed-methods analysis of judicial decisions in the Youth Court of Québec," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    5. Diana N. Teixeira & Isabel Narciso & Margarida R. Henriques, 2022. "Driving for Success in Family Reunification—Professionals’ Views on Intervention," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(24), pages 1-20, December.
    6. Lecompte, Vanessa & Pascuzzo, Katherine & Hélie, Sonia, 2023. "A look inside family reunification for children with attachment difficulties: An exploratory study," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    7. Jill R. McTavish & Christine McKee & Masako Tanaka & Harriet L. MacMillan, 2022. "Child Welfare Reform: A Scoping Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-24, October.
    8. Rushovich, Berenice & Sepulveda, Kristin & Efetevbia, Victoria & Malm, Karin, 2021. "A post-reunification service model: Implementation and population served," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 122(C).
    9. Beard, Lauren M. & Choi, Kyung Won, 2024. "Disrupted family reunification: Mental health, race, and state-level factors," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 348(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Akin, Becci A., 2011. "Predictors of foster care exits to permanency: A competing risks analysis of reunification, guardianship, and adoption," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(6), pages 999-1011, June.
    2. Jedwab, Merav & Shaw, Terry V., 2017. "Predictors of reentry into the foster care system: Comparison of children with and without previous removal experience," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 177-184.
    3. van Santen, Eric, 2010. "Predictors of exit type and length of stay in non-kinship family foster care -- The German experience," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(10), pages 1211-1222, October.
    4. Goemans, Anouk & Vanderfaeillie, Johan & Damen, Harm & Pijnenburg, Huub & Van Holen, Frank, 2016. "Reunification of foster children: Factors associated with reunification outcomes in Flanders and the Netherlands," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 284-292.
    5. Shipe, Stacey L. & Shaw, Terry V. & Betsinger, Sara & Farrell, Jill L., 2017. "Expanding the conceptualization of re-entry: The inter-play between child welfare and juvenile services," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 256-262.
    6. Wulczyn, Fred & Parolini, Arno & Schmits, Florie & Magruder, Joseph & Webster, Daniel, 2020. "Returning to foster care: Age and other risk factors," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).
    7. Fernandez, Elizabeth & Delfabbro, Paul & Ramia, Ioana & Kovacs, Szilvia, 2019. "Children returning from care: The challenging circumstances of parents in poverty," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 100-111.
    8. Whitaker, Tia, 2011. "Administrative case reviews: Improving outcomes for children in out-of-home care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(9), pages 1683-1708, September.
    9. Ubbesen, Mads Bonde & Petersen, Liselotte & Mortensen, Preben Bo & Kristensen, Ole Steen, 2012. "Out of care and into care again: A Danish register‐based study of children placed in out-of‐home care before their third birthday," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 34(11), pages 2147-2155.
    10. Yampolskaya, Svetlana & Callejas, Linda M., 2020. "The effect of child mental health service use on child safety and permanency in substance misusing families," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
    11. Lee, Daniel Hyung Jik & Huerta, Christina & Farmer, Elizabeth M.Z., 2021. "Kinship navigation: Facilitating permanency and equity for youth in child welfare," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    12. Lloyd, Margaret H. & Akin, Becci A. & Brook, Jody, 2017. "Parental drug use and permanency for young children in foster care: A competing risks analysis of reunification, guardianship, and adoption," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 177-187.
    13. Katz, Colleen C. & Lalayants, Marina & Phillips, Jon D., 2018. "The role of out-of-home caregivers in the achievement of child welfare permanency," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 65-71.
    14. Connell, Christian M. & Katz, Karol H. & Saunders, Leon & Tebes, Jacob Kraemer, 2006. "Leaving foster care--the influence of child and case characteristics on foster care exit rates," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 28(7), pages 780-798, July.
    15. Hébert, Sophie T. & Esposito, Tonino & Hélie, Sonia, 2018. "How short-term placements affect placement trajectories: A propensity-weighted analysis of re-entry into care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 117-124.
    16. Lindner, Abigail Rose & Hanlon, Ryan, 2024. "Outcomes of youth with foster care experiences based on permanency outcome – Adoption, aging out, long-term foster care, and reunification: A systematic review," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    17. Wulczyn, Fred & Gibbons, Robert & Snowden, Lonnie & Lery, Bridgette, 2013. "Poverty, social disadvantage, and the black/white placement gap," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 35(1), pages 65-74.
    18. Pine, Barbara A. & Spath, Robin & Werrbach, Gail B. & Jenson, Cary E. & Kerman, Benjamin, 2009. "A better path to permanency for children in out-of-home care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(10), pages 1135-1143, October.
    19. Foster, E. Michael & Hillemeier, Marianne M. & Bai, Yu, 2011. "Explaining the disparity in placement instability among African-American and white children in child welfare: A Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(1), pages 118-125, January.
    20. Victor, Bryan G. & Ryan, Joseph P. & Moore, Andrew & Mowbray, Orion & Evangelist, Michael & Perron, Brian E., 2016. "Foster home licensing and risk of reentry to out-of-home care following family reunification," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 112-119.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:100:y:2019:i:c:p:468-479. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/childyouth .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.