Racial/Ethnic Differences in Child Protective Services Reporting, Substantiation and Placement, With Comparison to Non-CPS Risks and Outcomes: 2005-2019.

We used National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System and Census data to examine Black-White and Hispanic-White disparities in reporting, substantiation, and out-of-home placement both descriptively from 2005-2019 and in multivariate models from 2007-2017. We also tracked contemporaneous social risk (e.g., child poverty) and child harm (e.g., infant mortality) disparities using non-child protective services (CPS) sources and compared them to CPS reporting rate disparities. Black-White CPS reporting disparities were lower than found in non-CPS risk and harm benchmarks. Consistent with the Hispanic paradox, Hispanic-White CPS reporting disparities were lower than risk disparities but similar to harm disparities. Descriptive and multivariate analyses of data from the past several years indicated that Black children were less likely to be substantiated or placed into out-of-home care following a report than White children. Hispanic children were slightly more likely to be substantiated or placed in out-of-home care than White children overall, but this difference disappeared in multivariate models. Available data provide no evidence that Black children were overreported relative to observed risks and harms reflected in non-CPS data. Reducing reporting rates among Black children will require addressing broader conditions associated with maltreatment.

Annual Credit Checks for Adolescent Youth in Foster Care: Factors Associated with Identity Fraud Victimization.

Child identity fraud, or the criminal exploitation of a child's personal data, poses serious risks and challenges for youth in foster care. Despite the 10-year history of a federal mandate requiring state child welfare agencies to conduct annual credit checks for adolescent foster youth (42 U.S.C. § 675), identity fraud has received scant attention in child welfare research. Analyzing a state-level administrative dataset with linked child welfare and consumer credit records, we employed hierarchical binary logistic regression modeling to analyze demographic and foster care placement factors associated with identity fraud victimization among a statewide population cohort of 1176 youth (age 14-17) in foster care in a mid-Atlantic state. In the model of best fit, covariates significantly associated with differing odds of identity fraud victimization included African American race (OR = 2.67, p < .001); two or more races (OR = 2.95, p = .003); and older age at credit check (OR = 3.49, p < .001). Youth with history of prior home removals (OR = 1.59, p = .059) were marginally more likely than youth with no prior home removals to experience identity fraud, controlling for all other variables.

"Just being there, like a shoulder to lean on": Resilience and Mental Health among Older Youth in and Aged out of Foster Care during COVID-19.

Disasters share a common potential for significant ecological and psychosocial disruption at the individual, community, and societal levels, and are especially harmful to members of social groups in vulnerable situations, including youth in foster care and those recently emancipated from care. These young people are susceptible to mental health challenges and understanding their resiliency is key to mitigating pandemic-related harms. This qualitative study aims to (1) understand how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the mental health of older youth between the ages of 18 and 23 (M = 20.5 years, S.D. = 1.7 years), currently in or aged out of foster care (M = 5.9 years in care, S.D. = 4.4 years), and experiencing mental health challenges, and (2) gain insight into the resiliency that supports young people in dealing with these challenges. Twenty-six young people (77% female-identifying, 38% White, 27% Hispanic) in the USA participated in in-depth interviews. Salient themes include: 1) supportive relationships, 2) adaptive coping skills and mindsets, and 3) environmental, institutional, and social supports. Results amplify the voices of these young people concerning the impact of COVID-19 on their mental health and foreground the dynamic strategies they are using to alleviate their distress. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40653-022-00498-7.

The experiences of older youth in and aged out of foster care during the COVID-19 pandemic: Material and financial well-being by foster care status, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity, and race.

As a marginalized, underresourced population, older youth with foster care experience are acutely vulnerable to the economic and social harms wrought by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This study summarizes findings from an online survey deployed in April 2020 to learn about the experiences of current and former foster youth (ages 18-23) during 1 month of the COVID-19 crisis. Using snowball sampling and a cross-sectional design, the survey yielded a final analysis sample of 281 respondents from 32 states and 192 cities or districts. Findings underscore the pervasive negative impacts of COVID-19 on respondents' housing/living situations, food security, employment, and financial stability. Chi-square tests and post hoc analyses revealed demographic disparities in respondents' experiences during COVID-19. Youth who aged out of care, cisgender females, nonstraight youth, and non-White youth were significantly more likely than demographic counterparts to experience pandemic-related adversities. Implications for policy and practice are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Child welfare characteristics in a sample of youth involved in commercial sex: An exploratory study.

BACKGROUND: Homeless, runaway, and youth exiting foster care are vulnerable to sexual exploitation, but little research has parsed the societal, community, and individual factors that contribute to their risk. OBJECTIVES: (1) To estimate child welfare characteristics in a sample of homeless young people who engaged in commercial sex (CS); and (2) To compare young people who were sex trafficked (ST) to those who engaged in some other form of CS. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: This study includes 98 homeless young people in Philadelphia, PA, Phoenix, AZ, and Washington, DC, who were interviewed for a larger study of ST and endorsed engagement in CS. METHODS: We used a non-probability, purposive, maximum variation sampling procedure. Interviews were recorded and responses were simultaneously noted on a standardized interview form. Data were analyzed through means, frequencies, and bivariate tests of association. RESULTS: Average age of the full sample of 98 homeless young people was 20.9 years; 48% were female and 50% were Black/African American. Forty-six percent of the full sample was sex trafficked. The full sample and the victims of ST differed significantly in three child welfare characteristics, with the ST group more likely to have been maltreated as children, more likely to have had family involvement with the child welfare system (CWS), and more likely to report higher rates of living someplace other than with their biological parents as children. CONCLUSIONS: ST victims differ from those who engaged in other forms of CS in histories of maltreatment, involvement with the CWS, and exposure to residential instability while growing up.

Adverse childhood experiences among youth reported to child welfare: Results from the national survey of child & adolescent wellbeing.

The negative influence of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on social, emotional, and behavioral (SEB) outcomes are well documented. However, no research to date has examined the effect of ACEs on SEB outcomes in youth who received mental health services after reporting to the child welfare system. This study's analyses of data from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being II revealed that the most prevalent ACEs included hospitalization for a medical condition, neglect, and exposures to domestic and community violence. Logistic regression of this data showed that the odds of being diagnosed with internalizing problems increased with age and when sexual abuse was reported. The results also showed that compared to Caucasian youth, Latinos were less likely to be diagnosed with externalizing behaviors, even when sexual abuse had been reported. Contrary to one of this study's hypotheses, mental health service use within the past 18 months increased the odds of being diagnosed with SEB problems. These findings highlight the persistence of SEB problems despite receipt of mental health services. Future research should assess the impact of interventions that aim to mitigate poor SEB outcomes due to ACEs, especially sexual abuse.

From placement to prison revisited: Do mental health services disrupt the delinquency pipeline among Latino, African American and Caucasian youth in the child welfare system?

Racial and ethnic disparities in delinquency among child welfare-involved youth are well documented. However, less is known about the mechanisms through which these disparities occur. This study explores the extent to which sets of variables predict the occurrence of juvenile delinquency and whether race/ethnicity moderates the strength of the relationships between (1) social, emotional, and behavioral (SEB) problems and delinquency and (2) mental health service use and delinquency. We used a nationally representative sample of 727 African American, Caucasian, and Latino youth between the ages of 12-17 who were referred to the child welfare system. Controlling for age, gender, placement instability, maltreatment history, poverty, and urbanicity, linear regression analyses revealed that African American and Latino youth engaged in more delinquent acts than Caucasian youth did. However, service use decreased the likelihood of engaging in more delinquent acts for African Americans. Additional efforts are needed to illuminate and address the contextual and organizational barriers to delivering effective mental health services as a strategy to reduce racial disparities in delinquent behavior.

Traumatic childhood experiences in the 21st century: broadening and building on the ACE studies with data from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network.

The study objectives were to (a) examine the association between total number of trauma types experienced and child/adolescent behavioral problems and (b) determine whether the number of trauma types experienced predicted youth behavioral problems above and beyond demographic characteristics, using a diverse set of 20 types of trauma. Data came from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network's (NCTSN) Core Data Set (CDS), which includes youth assessed and treated for trauma across the United States. Participants who experienced at least one type of trauma were included in the sample (N = 11,028; age = 1½-18 years; 52.3% girls). Random effects models were used to account for possible intraclass correlations given treatment services were provided at different NCTSN centers. Logistic regression analyses were used to investigate associations among demographic characteristics, trauma, and emotional and behavioral problems as measured by the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Significant dose-response relations were found between total number of trauma types and behavior problems for all CBCL scales, except Sleep, one of the subscales only administered to 1½- to 5-year-olds. Thus, each additional trauma type endorsed significantly increased the odds for scoring above the clinical threshold. Results provide further evidence of strong associations between diverse traumatic childhood experiences and a diverse range of behavior problems, and underscore the need for a trauma-informed public health and social welfare approach to prevention, risk reduction, and early intervention for traumatized youth.

Evidence-based practice for youth in supervised out-of-home care: a framework for development, definition, and evaluation.

Adolescents comprise more than half of the children in child welfare supervised out-of-home care. This article considers the evidence-base for an array of services to adolescents in out-of-home care and evaluates the existing research base for each program. This review advances a framework for considering the critical need to develop, define, and evaluate the essential elements of out-of-home care services for older foster youth. Policy, program, and evaluation recommendations are forwarded.

Complex trauma and mental health in children and adolescents placed in foster care: findings from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network.

Many children in the child welfare system (CWS) have histories of recurrent interpersonal trauma perpetrated by caregivers early in life often referred to as complex trauma. Children in the CWS also experience a diverse range of reactions across multiple areas of functioning that are associated with such exposure. Nevertheless, few CWSs routinely screen for trauma exposure and associated symptoms beyond an initial assessment of the precipitating event. This study examines trauma histories, including complex trauma exposure (physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, neglect, domestic violence), posttraumatic stress, and behavioral and emotional problems of 2,251 youth (age 0 to 21; M = 9.5, SD = 4.3) in foster care who were referred to a National Child Traumatic Stress Network site for treatment. High prevalence rates of complex trauma exposure were observed: 70.4% of the sample reported at least two of the traumas that constitute complex trauma; 11.7% of the sample reported all 5 types. Compared to youth with other types of trauma, those with complex trauma histories had significantly higher rates of internalizing problems, posttraumatic stress, and clinical diagnoses, and differed on some demographic variables. Implications for child welfare practice and future research are discussed.

One Adult Who Is Crazy about You: Can Natural Mentoring Relationships Increase Assets among Young Adults With and Without Foster Care Experience?

During emerging adulthood, most youth receive family support to help them weather the difficulties associated with transitioning to independence. When foster youth emancipate, they confront the challenges associated with emerging adulthood, and are at risk of having to transition without family support. Many are in danger of failing to meet minimal levels of self-sufficiency. A caring adult who offers social support is normative for adolescent development and protective for youth across many risk conditions. Natural mentoring can cultivate such relationships. This study examines the association between natural mentor relationship characteristics, and material hardship and asset-related outcomes during the emerging adulthood period in both a normative sample of young adults and young adults identified as former foster youth. This study also considers the potential mediating effect of future expectations. Data from Wave 3 of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health that pertain to 15,197 respondents are used. Path models with categorical dependent variables were estimated using a Maximum Likelihood method with standard errors that are robust to non-normality and non-independence of observations. "Like a parent," "role model," and "guidance/advice" were significantly associated with assets among both groups. This study contributes to the growing body of literature on natural mentoring and former foster youth, and highlights the value of increasing our understanding of natural mentor roles for intervention development. The focus on assets-related outcomes is a novel approach to investigating the benefits of natural mentoring to the healthy development of youth. This paper is the first to consider the association between natural mentoring and assets building among both former and nonformer foster youth.

Evidence-based practice for youth in supervised out-of-home care: a framework for development, definition, and evaluation.

Adolescents comprise a substantial portion of the children in child welfare supervised out-of-home care. This article considers the evidence base for an array of services to adolescents in out-of-home care and evaluates the existing research base for each program. This review advances a framework for considering the critical need to develop, define, and evaluate the essential elements of out-of-home care services for older foster youth. Policy, program, and evaluation recommendations are forwarded.

Contributions of Therapist Characteristics and Stability to Intensive In-home Therapy Youth Outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: This study examines the influence of therapist and youth characteristics on post-discharge outcomes from intensive in-home therapy. METHOD: Data for 1,416 youth and 412 therapists were obtained from a behavioral health services provider. The Huber-White method was used to account for nested data; ordered logistic regression was employed to assess outcomes. RESULTS: Therapist gender and employment stability were significantly associated with youth outcomes. The likelihood of an undesirable outcome was significantly less for cases with female therapists. CONCLUSION: Findings underscore the need for additional study concerning the impact of therapist characteristics and stability on youth outcomes, and to improve the understanding of the relationship between the two. Future studies in these areas would advance social work practice in family-based treatment programs.

The impact of low- and moderate-wealth homeownership on parental attitudes and behavior: Evidence from the community advantage panel.

Considerable research has suggested that homeownership imparts a variety of positive individual, family, neighborhood, and community effects. Yet, much of the research to date has failed to examine such effects by level of income [Dietz, R.D., & Haurin, D.R. (2003). The social and private micro-level consequences of homeownership. Journal of Urban Economics, 54(3), 401-450.]. This study adds to the limited research on the impact of assets on parental attitude and behavior among low- and moderate-income (LMI) families. Data used in this study are from the evaluation of Self-Help's Community Advantage Home Loan Secondary Market Program. Specifically, we focus on the differences in the demographic and financial backgrounds, and parental attitudes and behavior between LMI homeowners and a comparison group of renters (n=815 owners; n=333 renters). Logistic regression analyses are used to model parental attitude and behavior outcomes on tenure, controlling for a variety of household characteristics. Results show that the overall differences between homeowners and renters on parental outcomes are statistically nonsignificant. This finding implies that tenure per se is not associated with parental attitudes and behavior. Explanations for the possible reasons for the lack of a tenure effect are discussed. Policy implications are forwarded.

Outcomes for youth receiving intensive in-home therapy or residential care: a comparison using propensity scores.

This study compares outcomes for behaviorally troubled children receiving intensive in-home therapy (IIHT) and those receiving residential care (RC). Propensity score matching is used to identify matched pairs of youth (n = 786) with equivalent propensity for IIHT. The majority of pretreatment differences between the IIHT and RC groups are eliminated following matching. Logistic regression is then conducted on outcome differences at 1 year postdischarge. Results show that IIHT recipients had a greater tendency (.615) toward living with family, making progress in school, not experiencing trouble with the law, and placement stability compared with RC youth (.558; p < .10). This suggests that IIHT is at least as effective for achieving positive outcomes. Given IIHT's reduced restrictiveness and cost, intensive in-home services should be the preferred treatment over RC in most cases.