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The experiences and outcomes of children in foster care who were removed because of a parental disability

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  • Lightfoot, Elizabeth
  • DeZelar, Sharyn

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the experiences and outcomes of children in the foster care system in the United States who were removed from their homes at least partially in relation to their parent's or caretaker's disability. This study uses administrative data from the 2012 year of the Adoption and Foster Care Reporting System (AFCARS), the federal reporting system that collects case-level data on all children in foster care through state and tribal IV-E agencies. While this administrative dataset doesn't collect data on parental disability, it does collect data on parental disability as a removal reason for children in foster care. In 2012, 19.0% of children in foster care had parental disability indicated as at least one removal reason, and 5.18% had parental disability indicated as their sole removal reason. Logistic regression was used to explore how a removal reason of parental disability correlated with removal manner, type of placement, location of placement, current case plans, discharge reasons and termination of parental rights. T-tests were used to compare children with and without parental disability as a removal reason in regards to number of placements, age at removal, length of time since last removal, length of stay in current placement, and total days in foster care. As foster children could have multiple removal reasons, analyses were conducted separately for children with parental disability as at least one removal reason, and those with parental disability as their sole removal reason. Findings indicate that children who have parental disability as a removal reason have different experiences in child welfare and different child welfare outcomes than those without parental disability as a removal reason. While the AFCARS removal reason of parental disability is not a proxy for parental disability, the study points to a need for closer attention to parental disability within the child welfare system to ensure appropriate services and supports, as well as fair treatment.

Suggested Citation

  • Lightfoot, Elizabeth & DeZelar, Sharyn, 2016. "The experiences and outcomes of children in foster care who were removed because of a parental disability," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 22-28.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:62:y:2016:i:c:p:22-28
    DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2015.11.029
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Courtney, Mark E., 2000. "Research needed to improve the prospects for children in out-of-home placement," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 22(9-10), pages 743-761.
    2. 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.
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    Cited by:

    1. Onovbiona, Harlee & Mapes, Ayla R. & Quetsch, Lauren B. & Theodorou, Laurie L. & McNeil, Cheryl B., 2023. "Parent-child interaction therapy for children in foster care and children with posttraumatic stress: Exploring behavioral outcomes and graduation rates in a large state-wide sample," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    2. Lightfoot, Elizabeth & Laliberte, Traci & Cho, Minhae, 2017. "A case record review of termination of parental rights cases involving parents with a disability," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 399-407.
    3. DeZelar, Sharyn & Lightfoot, Elizabeth, 2018. "Use of parental disability as a removal reason for children in foster care in the U.S," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 128-134.
    4. Netta Barak‐Corren & Yoav Kan‐Tor & Nelson Tebbe, 2022. "Examining the effects of antidiscrimination laws on children in the foster care and adoption systems," Journal of Empirical Legal Studies, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 19(4), pages 1003-1066, December.
    5. DeZelar, Sharyn & Lightfoot, Elizabeth, 2020. "Who refers parents with intellectual disabilities to the child welfare system? An analysis of referral sources and substantiation," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    6. Slayter, Elspeth M. & Jensen, Jordan, 2019. "Parents with intellectual disabilities in the child protection system," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 297-304.
    7. Seltzer, Rebecca R. & Johnson, Sara B. & Minkovitz, Cynthia S., 2017. "Medical complexity and placement outcomes for children in foster care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 285-293.

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