Abstract
Various factors influence children’s tenure in protective care. The current study examined whether the speed of reunification
with parents differs by reasons in care and social environment at intake. The effects of age and sex of the child and referral
source were also examined. The study sample consists of 155 children aged 0–12 years from 92 families, who presented at Barnardos
temporary care services in two metropolitan areas in Australia. Participants continuously entered the study over the 4 year
study period from 1 Jan 2003 to 31 Dec 2008, the study window being 18 months since the intake. Drawing on event history analysis
models two analyses were conducted: one focusing on the primary reason in care and another focusing on a risk typology based
on the North Carolina Family Assessment Scale-Reunification (NCFAS-R). The risk typology developed through latent profile
analysis grouped families with similar profiles of social environmental risks together. Children were reunified with their
parents rapidly at the beginning until week 13 and the rate became slower but steady until the end of study period. Compared
to children with parental health issues, children with parental substance abuse issues had 86% lower rate, children who experienced
abuse/neglect had 83% lower rate of return, children from domestic violence situations or other issues had 73% lower rate
of reunification with their parents. Compared to children with low risks in their social environment, children with high risks
had 73% lower speed of reunification with their parents. The rate of reunification with parents was higher for older children
whereas there was no difference on the speed of reunification by child’s sex or the source of referral. The implications for
policy, practice, and research are discussed.
with parents differs by reasons in care and social environment at intake. The effects of age and sex of the child and referral
source were also examined. The study sample consists of 155 children aged 0–12 years from 92 families, who presented at Barnardos
temporary care services in two metropolitan areas in Australia. Participants continuously entered the study over the 4 year
study period from 1 Jan 2003 to 31 Dec 2008, the study window being 18 months since the intake. Drawing on event history analysis
models two analyses were conducted: one focusing on the primary reason in care and another focusing on a risk typology based
on the North Carolina Family Assessment Scale-Reunification (NCFAS-R). The risk typology developed through latent profile
analysis grouped families with similar profiles of social environmental risks together. Children were reunified with their
parents rapidly at the beginning until week 13 and the rate became slower but steady until the end of study period. Compared
to children with parental health issues, children with parental substance abuse issues had 86% lower rate, children who experienced
abuse/neglect had 83% lower rate of return, children from domestic violence situations or other issues had 73% lower rate
of reunification with their parents. Compared to children with low risks in their social environment, children with high risks
had 73% lower speed of reunification with their parents. The rate of reunification with parents was higher for older children
whereas there was no difference on the speed of reunification by child’s sex or the source of referral. The implications for
policy, practice, and research are discussed.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Pages 1-17
- DOI 10.1007/s12187-011-9121-7
- Authors
- Elizabeth Fernandez, School of Social Science and International Studies, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Jung-Sook Lee, School of Social Science and International Studies, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Journal Child Indicators Research
- Online ISSN 1874-8988
- Print ISSN 1874-897X