RE: Impact of multiple placements

["Martin, Judy" <martinj@xxxxxxxx>]

I reviewed this research for my foster care book through the mid 90's
(Foster Family Care: Theory and Practice). There is clear evidence of
the harmful effects of multiple placements on children and families.
However, there also needs to be research done on the interactive effects
with children's "vulnerability"; ie some children bring challenges to
foster care that make them more difficult to parent effectively. 

Judy Martin 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-CHILD-MALTREATMENT-RESEARCH-L@cornell.edu
[mailto:owner-CHILD-MALTREATMENT-RESEARCH-L@cornell.edu] On Behalf Of
Ben Saunders
Sent: Thursday, August 25, 2005 8:39 AM
To: Child Maltreatment Researchers
Subject: Impact of multiple placements

I am looking for definitive research (if it exists) on the impact, if
any, of multiple fostercare placements on children. It appears to be a
well-accepted clinical proposition that children who experience changes
in fostercare placements and multiple fostercare placements are
negatively impacted by these movements compared to children in only one
or fewer placements, or children never removed.  In other words,
multiple fostercare placements result in increased emotional and
behavioral difficulties for children.  However, it also clinical lore
that children with existing significant emotional and behavior problems
at the time of removal are more likely to fail in placements, suggesting
a reverse causal direction, i.e., kids with serious problems are a
handful to manage and foster parents with those children are more likely
to just give up and have them removed and placed elsewhere. Problem kids
have more placements.  Fostercare is not my area, so I am looking for
the best, most well-accepted research into this question of the
relationship between multiple fostercare placements and emotional and
behavioral problems among children.  Any citations, summaries, or
directions would be appreciated.  You may contact me back channel at
saunders@musc.edu.

Thanks, Ben
--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Benjamin E. Saunders, Ph.D.
National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center Medical University
of South Carolina
165 Cannon Street, Box 250852             843-792-2945  Telephone
Charleston, SC  29425                     843-792-7146  Fax

Visit our web site:  www.musc.edu/cvc
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