This study examines the relationship between child and family characteristics, child abuse and neglect reporting histories, and placement outcomes for a sample of 1,357 infants and toddlers who were placed in foster care prior to the implementation of the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997 (P.L. 105-89). A cohort of children entering foster care in six California counties were followed for an average of four years, using data drawn from two management information systems (child protective services and foster care). Among the findings: children with documented prenatal drug and/or alcohol exposure were among those more likely to remain in care during the entire study period, and if they did reunify with their families, were more likely to subsequently reenter care. All children who remained in care were placed after a single report to child protective services. These child welfare outcomes are considered in light of existing child welfare policy and research about developmental risk, yielding practice, policy, and research implications.RESUMEN: Este estudio examina la relación entre las características del niño y de la familia, casos reportados sobre maltratos del niño y negligencias, y los resultados de colocación en un grupo muestra de 1,357 infantes y bebés que fueron asignados al cuidado de hogares ajenos antes de la implementación del Decreto sobre la Adpoción y la Seguridad de las Familias de 1997 (P.L. 105-89). Se le dio seguimiento a un grupo de niños que entraron al cuidado de hogares ajenos en seis condados del Estado de California, por un período promedio de 4 años. Para ello se usó la información de dos sistemas de administración de información (servicios de protección del infante y el cuidado en hogares ajenos). Entre los resultados: los niños con historial documentado de haber estado expuestos prenatalmente a drogas y/o alcohol estuvieron entre aquellos con más probabilidad de permanecer bajo el cuidado de hogares ajenos durante todo el período que duró este estudio. Y aun en los casos en que esos niños fueron devueltos a sus familias, presentaron muchas probabilidades de volver subsecuentemenet al cuidado de hogares ajenos. Todos los niños que permanecieron bajo el cuidado de hogares ajenos habían sido colocados allí debido a un solo reporte de los servicios de protección del niño. Estos resultados sobre el bienestar infantil son considerados a la luz de la legislación sobre bienestar infantil y la investigación acerca del riesgo de

With the passage of the Adoption and Safe Families Act (P.L. 105-89; ASFA), birth parents of children in foster care face a relatively brief time frame within which to successfully demonstrate progress in their reunification efforts. This progress includes engagement in a case plan, involvement in services, and visitation with children-efforts that are emotionally and practically challenging for many birth parents. Although a number of case and service characteristics associated with successful reunification have been identified (e.g., Child Welfare League of America, 2002;Westat, 1995), relatively little attention has been focused on the nature of birth parents' change processes and their related service needs.A number of authors have chronicled the intense emotions precipitated by child removal. Although dated, Jenkins (1969) found that birth parents most frequently reported feelings of sadness, worry, and nervousness. Other common feelings included emptiness, anger, bitterness, thankfulness, and relief for some parents; guilt and shame for some; and numbness or a feeling of being paralyzed for still others (Jenkins, 1969). Feelings of isolation are often reported (Levin, 1992), especially if parents decide to make changes for reunification with their children that involve severing ties with friends and/or family (Maluccio, Warsh, & Pine, 1993). A sense of powerlessness is also common, arising from birth parents' feelings of being controlled by the child welfare system and without influence in decision making regarding their children (Levin, 1992;Maluccio, Fein, & Olmstead, 1986). Another emotional reaction birth parents often experience is a decrease in self-esteem (Levin, 1992;Maluccio et al., 1986). Birth parents may also feel ambivalence about their parenting role (Bicknell-Hentges, 1995;Hess & Folaron, 1991;Maluccio et al., 1986)-feelings that may be indicated by expression of "conflicting feelings

In efforts to preserve foster children’s biological families and to promote the formation of alternative families in some situations, legislative efforts to promote ‘permanency’ have been gaining pace since the late 1990s. One policy and practice tool, concurrent planning (CP), simultaneously allows for the pursuit of reunification and adoption. This article examines six counties in California (USA) and their efforts towards implementation of the components of CP. Researchers used qualitative methods to explore policies and practices of CP. Key informants include social workers, social work supervisors, attorneys and judges. The study identifies and describes seven elements determined to be essential to the complete and successful implementation of CP. Implications for agency practice and family outcomes are discussed.

Concurrent planning is used increasingly in child welfare practice as one strategy to expedite permanency for children. The strategy was developed in small, private agency contexts utilizing comprehensive and intensive services; how and with what success concurrent planning concepts have been implemented by large public child welfare bureaucracies is not known. This study examines the implementation of concurrent planning in six county child welfare agencies in a large western state. Quantitative data were extracted from case files of a sample of 885 children entering out-of-home care before and after implementation of concurrent planning legislation. Interviews and focus groups with 180 individuals (including agency social workers, supervisors, and court personnel) from the same counties contextualize these findings. Results from the study help to identify factors that may facilitate or hinder successful implementation. D

Although well established with newlywed couples, studies examining the association between affective communication during conflict and later relationship satisfaction yield inconsistent results with premarital samples. The current study reexamined this association with a different method of coding affect observed during discussions of separate male‐ and female‐selected problem topics and contemporary methods for modeling dyadic data. The sample included 32 engaged couples assessed across the transition to marriage. Premarital affect correlated with concurrent and postnuptial relationship satisfaction. Men's and women's premarital affect also predicted changes in women's relationship satisfaction across the transition to marriage when controlling for cohabitation, length of the assessment interval, and age. Implications are discussed in the context of prominent developmental models of marriage and current premarital interventions.