Re: Out of Home Placements and Abuse

[Des Runyan <drunyan@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

<x-rich>In a study published in Pediatrics in 1985, we found that children in
foster care had a 1/4 of the re-abuse rates of a matched cohort left i
the home after maltreatment.  Further, many of the new reports
reflected physical abuse inflicted by the biological parents on home
visits. Our conclusion that children in foster care appeared to be at
75% lower risk for re-abuse doesn't fit  the expressed concern that
children in foster care are at higher risk.


Des Runyan


On Feb 14, 2005, at 10:40 AM, NCCPR@aol.com wrote:


<excerpt><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><x-tad-bigger>In a message
dated 2/14/2005 10:26:55 AM Eastern Standard Time,
rbarth@email.unc.edu writes:</x-tad-bigger></fontfamily>

<fontfamily><param>Arial</param><x-tad-bigger>NCANDS estimates that
the percentage of children who experience</x-tad-bigger></fontfamily>

<fontfamily><param>Arial</param><x-tad-bigger> substantiated
maltreatment in foster caree is about.5% and in </x-tad-bigger></fontfamily>

<fontfamily><param>Arial</param><x-tad-bigger>residentail care is
about .2%. ...</x-tad-bigger></fontfamily>

<fontfamily><param>Arial</param><x-tad-bigger>Actually these NCANDS
data are only for foster children who experience maltreatment at the
hands of a foster parent or facility staff.  (See
</x-tad-bigger><color><param>0000,0000,EEEE</param><x-tad-bigger>http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/publications/cm02/figure5_2.htm</x-tad-bigger></color><x-tad-bigger> for
the relevant chart)  They do not include foster children who are
abused by other children, a serious problem, particularly in
overcrowded foster homes or institutions, and therefore underestimate
the extent of the risk.</x-tad-bigger></fontfamily>

<fontfamily><param>Arial</param><x-tad-bigger> </x-tad-bigger></fontfamily>

<fontfamily><param>Arial</param><x-tad-bigger>In addition, any
official count of abuse in foster care is likely to be an
underestimate because agencies typically are investigating
themselves. Independent "case readings" conducted by outside experts
as a part of class action lawsuits, often find much higher rates of
abuse in substitute care.</x-tad-bigger></fontfamily>

<fontfamily><param>Arial</param><x-tad-bigger> </x-tad-bigger></fontfamily>

<fontfamily><param>Arial</param>Richard Wexler</fontfamily>

<fontfamily><param>Arial</param>Executive Director</fontfamily>

<fontfamily><param>Arial</param>National Coalition for Child
Protection Reform</fontfamily>

<fontfamily><param>Arial</param>53 Skyhill Road (Suite 202)</fontfamily>

<fontfamily><param>Arial</param>Alexandria VA 22314</fontfamily>

<fontfamily><param>Arial</param>Phone/fax: (703) 212-2006</fontfamily>

<fontfamily><param>Arial</param><color><param>0000,0000,EEEE</param>www.nccpr.org</color></fontfamily>

<fontfamily><param>Arial</param><x-tad-bigger> </x-tad-bigger></fontfamily>


</excerpt>Desmond K. Runyan, MD, DrPH

Professor and Chair of Social Medicine & Professor of Pediatrics

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Campus Box 7240; Chapel Hill, NC  27599-7240

tel: 919.843.8262   fax: 919.966.7499

<<drunyan@unc.edu>  url: <<http://socialmedicine.med.unc.edu>


</x-rich>