Propensity Score Matching of Children in Kinship and Nonkinship Foster Care: Do Permanency Outcomes Differ?

Koh, Eun; Testa, Mark F.

doi:10.1093/swr/32.2.105

Cited by 68 publications

(60 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…Age was often found to be a significant predictor of foster care exits. Specifically, most studies found that older children were less likely to exit to any type of permanency; while infants were less likely to be reunified than older children, but more likely to be adopted (Barth, 1997;Becker, Jordan, & Larsen, 2007;Connell, Katz, Saunders, & Tebes, 2006;Courtney, 1994;Courtney, et al, 2007;Courtney & Wong, 1996;Goerge, 1990;Harris & Courtney, 2003;Koh & Testa, 2008;McDonald, Poertner, & Jennings, 2007;Park & Ryan, 2009;Romney, Litrownik, Newton, & Lau, 2005;Rosenberg & Robinson, 2004;Smith, 2003;Snowden, Leon, & Sieracki, 2008;Vogel, 1999;Wells & Guo, 1999;Yampolskaya, Armstrong, & Vargo, 2007;Yampolskaya, Kershaw, & Banks, 2006). Some studies, however, did not find a significant relationship between age and foster care exits (Benedict & White, 1991;Glisson, Bailey, & Post, 2000;McMurtry & Lie, 1992;PabustanClaar, 2007;Potter & Klein-Rothschild, 2002).…”

Section: Child Characteristicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Among the 21 reviewed studies that included some form of health status as an independent variable, all of them found a statistically significant relationship with foster care exits. In general, health problems decreased the likelihood of timely exit from foster care (Becker, et al, 2007;Connell, et al, 2006;Courtney & Wong, 1996;Glisson, et al, 2000;Koh & Testa, 2008;Landsverk, et al, 1996;Park & Ryan, 2009;Potter & Klein-Rothschild, 2002;Romney, et al, 2005;Rosenberg & Robinson, 2004;Wells & Guo, 1999;Yampolskaya, et al, 2006 (Becker, et al, 2007), history of inpatient treatment from Medicaid claims (Park & Ryan, 2009), and assessments conducted by researchers Romney, et al, 2005).…”

Section: Child Characteristicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Placement type was frequently defined as the type of initial placement, to include non-kin foster care, kinship foster care, group homes, and, sometimes, emergency shelters. In general, placement type was almost always found to have a significant association with foster care exits, (Connell, et al, 2006;Courtney & Wong, 1996;Goerge, 1990;Harris & Courtney, 2003;Park & Ryan, 2009;Smith, 2003;Vogel, 1999;Wells & Guo, 1999;Winokur, Crawford, Longobard, & Valentine, 2008) though the specifics vary by type of exit and type of placement, and a few studies found contradictions (Courtney, et al, 1997;Koh & Testa, 2008;PabustanClaar, 2007;Potter & Klein-Rothschild, 2002). Specifically, initial placement in group home settings or emergency shelters lowered the likelihood of reunification (Connell, et al;Courtney & Wong;Park & Ryan, 2009) and adoption (Connell, et al).…”

Section: Type Of Placementmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Given the high interest in kinship care, it was the most extensively studied type of placement among the reviewed studies. Several studies have found that kinship care delayed reunification (Connell, et al, 2006;Courtney, 1994;Courtney & Wong, 1996;Goerge, 1990;Harris & Courtney, 2003;Wells & Guo, 1999;Winokur, et al, 2008), but this was not always the case (Courtney, et al, 1997;Koh & Testa, 2008). Others found kinship care did not delay exits to adoption and guardianship (Connell, et al; Koh & Testa; Winokur, et al).…”

Section: Type Of Placementmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Others found kinship care did not delay exits to adoption and guardianship (Connell, et al; Koh & Testa; Winokur, et al). Among the reviewed studies, two used matched comparison groups to examine the differences in foster care exits between children in kin and non-kin foster care placements (Koh & Testa, 2008;Winokur, et al, 2008). Below, Koh and Testa's findings are highlighted because they used advanced statistical techniques for matching the samples and examining outcomes (i.e., propensity score matching and event history analysis).…”

Section: Type Of Placementmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Predictors of foster care exits to permanency: A competing risks analysis of reunification, guardianship, and adoption

Akin

2011

Children and Youth Services Review

189

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Nearly 800,000 children spend time in foster care each year, with many children experiencing lengthy stays and exiting without a permanent family. The main objective of this study was to identify which child and placement characteristics were significant predictors of foster care exit to three types of permanency: reunification, guardianship, and adoption. A nonexperimental longitudinal design was used to observe an annual entry cohort of 3,351 children who entered Kansas foster care in state fiscal year 2006. The sample was observed for 30 to 42 months. Data sources were two state administrative databases, one which tracks all children in foster care and one on mental health services. The primary data analysis was competing risks survival analysis. Study findings showed that children in foster care exit to different types of permanency at different rates. Reunification occurs the most quickly, followed by guardianship, and then adoption. While patterns of predictors varied by type of permanency, three major categories of important permanency predictors were identified: 1) demographic characteristics of age at entry and race, 2) clinical needs related to child disabilities and mental health problems, and 3) continuity and connections represented by kin placements, sibling placements, early stability, and absence of runaway events. Implications suggested that social work practice be age-differentiated and culturally appropriate, and that children's needs related to disabilities and mental health problems be addressed with thorough assessment and evidencebased services. Social work practices should also strive to keep children connected to family and in stable placements. The major social work theory implication suggested that permanency theory balance the primordial solidarities principle that stresses family connections with the bureaucratic institutions principle that emphasizes structures for ensuring stability. In addition, ii this study's findings indicated the need to improve and expand timely permanency for more children. Policy implications included: using guardianship as a viable permanency option for more children; revising federal policy to promote the discovery and implementation of new, creative approaches to permanency; and, reforming the current financing structure to be more flexible and better aligned with the promotion of permanency outcomes.iii

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