Evaluation of Family Preservation and
Reunification Programs:
Final Report - Volume Two

Submitted to:
Department of Health and Human Services
Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation

Submitted by:
Westat
Chapin Hall Center for Children
James Bell Associates

September, 2002

Contents

Executive Summary

1. Study Overview

• 1.1 Background
• 1.2 Study Objectives
  • 1.2.1 Site Selection and Recruitment
  • 1.2.2 Sample Size
• 1.3 Data Elements and Measures
• 1.4 Data Sources
• References

2. The Services

• 2.1 Caseworker Activities
• 2.2 Social Program Participation
• 2.3 Caretakers' Reports of Services
• 2.4 Relationship with Caseworker
• 2.5 Caseworkers' Reports of Services
• 2.6 Summary of Services
• 2.7 Services During the Followup Period

3. The Outcomes

• 3.1 Substitute Care Placement Following Random Assignment
• 3.2 Hazard Analyses of Placement
• 3.3 Allegations of Maltreatment Following Random Assignment
• 3.4 Sub-group Analysis
• 3.5 Case Closing Subsequent to Random Assignment
• 3.6 Family and Child Functioning-Caretaker Interviews
  • 3.6.1 Life Events
  • 3.6.2 Problems
  • 3.6.3 Economic Functioning
  • 3.6.4 Household Condition
  • 3.6.5 Child Care Practices
  • 3.6.6 Caretaker Depression
  • 3.6.7 Child Behavior
• 3.7 Overall Assessment of Improvement by Caretakers
• 3.8 Information from Caseworkers on Family and Child Functioning
  • 3.8.1Caretaker Functioning
  • 3.8.2 Household Condition
  • 3.8.3 Caretaker Problems
  • 3.8.4 Child Problems
• 3.9 Predictors of Outcomes
• 3.10 Relationship of Placement and Subsequent Harm to Amount of Service
• 3.11 Matching of Services to Problems
• 3.12 Summary of Outcome Data

4. Philadelphia

• 4.1 Introduction
• 4.2 The Philadelphia Families
  • 4.2.1 Family Problems
  • 4.2.2 Child Problems
  • 4.2.3 Caretaker Abuse or Neglect as a Child
  • 4.2.4 Previous Allegations and Placement
  • 4.2.5 Social Program Participation
• 4.3 Summary of Sample Description
• 4.4 Services
  • 4.4.1 Services During the Treatment Period
  • 4.4.2 Summary of Services During the Treatment Period
  • 4.4.3 Services During the Followup Period
  • 4.4.4 Summary of Followup Services.
• 4.5 Outcomes
  • 4.5.1 Substitute Care Placement Following Random Assignment
  • 4.5.2 Allegations of Maltreatment Following Random Assignment
  • 4.5.3 Family and Child Functioning - Caretaker Interviews
  • 4.5.4 Information from Caseworkers on Functioning
  • 4.5.5 Summary of Outcome Data

5. Attrition Analysis: Caretaker Interviews

6. Social Support

• 6.1 Composition of Caretakers' Support Networks
• 6.2 Caretakers' Levels of Support
• 6.3 Effects of Family Preservation on Levels of Support
• 6.4 Conclusions

7. Interviews with Investigating or Intake Workers

• 7.1 Investigating Worker Interviews in Kentucky, New Jersey, and Tennessee
• 7.2 Philadelphia Intake Worker Questionnaire

8. The Staff Questionnaire

• 8.1 Kentucky, New Jersey, and Tennessee Staff
  • 8.1.1 Gender and Race
  • 8.1.2 Education
  • 8.1.3 Caseloads and Time Allocation
  • 8.1.4 Job Satisfaction
  • 8.1.5 Staff Views on Child Welfare and Family Service Issues
  • 8.1.6 Reactions to Work with Clients
  • 8.1.7 Preparation in Dealing with Casework Issues
  • 8.1.8 Experience, Tenure, and Future Employment Plans
  • 8.1.9 Summary for Kentucky, New Jersey, and Tennessee Staff
• 8.2 Philadelphia Staff
  • 8.2.1 Gender and Race
  • 8.2.2 Education
  • 8.2.3 Caseload and Time Allocation
  • 8.2.4 Job Satisfaction
  • 8.2.5 Views on Child Welfare and Family Service Issues
  • 8.2.6 Reactions to Work with Clients
  • 8.2.7 Preparation in Dealing with Casework Issues
  • 8.2.8 Experience, Tenure, and Future Employment Plans

9. Conclusions

• 9.1 Outcomes
  • 9.1.1 Placement
  • 9.1.2 Child Safety
  • 9.1.3 Subgroups
  • 9.1.4 Case Closing and Subsequent Reopening
  • 9.1.5 Family and Child Functioning
• 9.2 Targeting
• 9.3 Possible Alternative Explanations of the Findings
• 9.4 What to Make of These Findings

List of Tables

• Table 1 Study Site Descriptions
• Table 2 Description of the Families at Time of Initial Interviews
• Table 3 Selected Child and Family Problem Areas (% responding yes)
• Table 4 Summary of Services, Post-treatment Interview
• Table 5 Summary of Placement Data, Survival Analyses Percents of Families Experiencing Placement of at Least One Child Within Specified Periods of Time
• Table 6 Summary of Family and Child Functioning Outcomes Differences Between Experimental and Control Groups at Post Treatment, Followup, and Change Over Time
• Table 2-1 Caretaker Reports of Caseworker Activities, Post-Treatment Interview
• Table 2-2 Participation In Social Programs, Post-Treatment Interview
• Table 2-3 Caretaker Report of Services, Post-Treatment Interview
• Table 2-4 Caretakers' Reports on Relationship with Caseworker, Post-Treatment Interview
• Table 2-5 Caseworkers' Report of Services Provided to Family, Post-treatment Interview
• Table 2-6 Contact Forms
• Table 2-7 Experimental Group Contacts
• Table 2-8 Summary Of Services, Post-Treatment Interview
• Table 2-9 Caretaker Reports Of Caseworker Activities, Followup Interview
• Table 2-10 Participation In Social Programs, Followup Interview
• Table 2-11 Caretaker Report Of Services, Followup Interview
• Table 2-12 Summary Of Services, Followup Interview
• Table 3-1 Type Of First Placement After Random Assignment, Child Level
• Table 3-2 Subgroup Analyses, Significance Levels of Differences Between Experimental and Control Groups
• Table 3-3 Kentucky Family and Child Functioning Scales
• Table 3-4 New Jersey Family and Child Functioning Scales
• Table 3-5 Tennessee Family And Child Functioning Scales
• Table 3-6 Caretaker Problems & Strengths, Caretaker Post-Treatment Interview (% responding yes)
• Table 3-7 Caretaker Problems & Strengths, Caretaker Followup Interview (% responding yes)
• Table 3-8 Caretaker Reports Of Child Care Practices, Post-Treatment Interview
• Table 3-9 Caretaker Reports Of Child Care Practices, Followup Interview
• Table 3-10 Caretakers' Assessments Of Overall Change Since First Interview, Post-Treatment Interview
• Table 3-11 Caretakers' Assessments Of Overall Change Since Post-Treatment terview, Followup Interview
• Table 3-12 Caseworkers' Assessments of Caretakers' Parental Functioning
• Table 3-13 Regressions Of Post-Treatment Family And Child Functioning Scales (Regression Coefficients)
• Table 3-14 Regressions Of Followup Family And Child Functioning Scales (Regression Coefficients)
• Table 3-15 Caregiver's Report Of Contact With Caseworker And Caseworker Activities As Predictors Of Subsequent Placement And Substantiated Maltreatment
• Table 3-16 Match Of Services With Problems
• Table 3-17 Summary Of Outcomes, Post-Treatment Interview
• Table 3-18 Summary Of Outcomes, Caretaker Followup Interview
• Table 4-1 Description of the Philadelphia Families at Time of Initial Interviews
• Table 4-2 Philadelphia Caretaker Problems and Strengths, Caretaker Initial Interview
• Table 4-3 Concerns and Problems Regarding Children, Philadelphia Caretaker Initial Interview
• Table 4-4 Philadelphia Participation in Social Programs Prior to Initial Interview
• Table 4-5 Philadelphia Caretaker Reports of Caseworker Activities, Post-treatment Interview
• Table 4-6 Philadelphia Participation in Social Programs, Post-treatment Interview
• Table 4-7 Philadelphia Caretaker Report of Services, Post-treatment Interview
• Table 4-8 Philadelphia Caretakers' Reports on Relationship with Caseworker, Post-treatment Interview
• Table 4-9 Philadelphia Caseworkers' Report of Services Provided to Family, Post-treatment Interview
• Table 4-10 Philadelphia Contact Forms
• Table 4-11 Philadelphia Experimental Group Contacts
• Table 4-12 Summary of Services for Philadelphia, Post-treatment Interview
• Table 4-13 Philadelphia Caretaker Reports of Caseworker Activities, Followup Interview
• Table 4-14 Philadelphia Participation in Social Programs, Followup Interview
• Table 4-15 Philadelphia Caretaker Report of Services, Followup Interview
• Table 4-16 Summary of Services in Philadelphia, Followup Interview
• Table 4-17 Type of First Placement After Random Assignment, Child Level
• Table 4-18 Summary of Philadelphia Placement Data, Survival Analyses Families Experiencing Placement of at Least One Child Within Specified Periods of Time
• Table 4-19 Philadelphia Subgroup Analyses Significance Levels of Differences Between Experimental and Control Groups
• Table 4-20 Philadelphia Family and Child Functioning Scales
• Table 4-21 Philadelphia Caretaker Problems and Strengths, Caretaker Post-treatment Interview
• Table 4-22 Philadelphia Caretaker Problems & Strengths, Caretaker Followup Interview
• Table 4-23 Philadelphia Caretaker Reports of Child Care Practices, Post-treatment Interview
• Table 4-24 Philadelphia Caretaker Reports of Child Care Practices, Followup Interview
• Table 4-25 Philadelphia Caretakers' Assessments of Overall Change Since First Interview, Post-treatment Interview
• Table 4-26 Philadelphia Caretakers' Assessments of Overall Change Since Post-treatment Interview, Followup Interview
• Table 4-27 Philadelphia Caseworkers' Assessments of Caretakers' Parental Functioning, Post-treatment Interview
• Table 4-28 Summary of Outcomes in Philadelphia, Post-treatment Interview
• Table 4-29 Summary of Outcomes in Philadelphia, Caretaker Followup Interview
• Table 5-1 Counts of Cases for all Possible Combinations of Caretaker Interviews Completed
• Table 5-2 Caretaker Interviews Completed as a Percentage of Net Study Cases
• Table 6-1 Support Available at Initial Interview by Relationship of Supporter
• Table 6-2 Average and Average Mean Support at Initial Interview
• Table 6-3 Support from Partners, Parents, Siblings, and Friends
• Table 7-1 Counts of Investigating Worker Questionnaires
• Table 7-2 Timelines and Frequency of Contact in the Investigation of the Alleged Maltreatment
• Table 7-3 Investigating Worker Questionnaire
• Table 7-4 Cases in which the Investigating Worker Indicated Removal (N = 65)
• Table 7-5 Philadelphia Intake Worker Questionnaire
• Table 8-1 Counts for Completed Staff Questionnaires
• Table 8-2 Summary of Responses from Case Level Staff Who Have a Case in the Study: Kentucky, New Jersey, & Tennessee
• Table 8-3 Summary of Responses from Case Level Staff Who Have a Case in the Study: Philadelphia
• Table 9-1 Summary of Placement Data, Survival Analyses Families Experiencing Placement of At Least One Child Within Specified Periods of Time
• Table 9-2 Summary of Family and Child Functioning Outcomes, Data from Caretaker Interviews Differences Between Experimental and Control Groups at Post treatment, Followup, and Change Over Time
• Table 9-3 Summary of Family and Child Functioning Outcomes, Data from Caseworker Interviews Differences Between Experimental and Control Groups at Post-treatment and Change Over Time

List of Figures

• Figure 3-1 First Placement after Random Assignment (Families)
• Figure 3-2 First Substantial Allegation after Random Assignment (Families)
• Figure 3-3 First Case Closing after Random Assignment (Families)
• Figure 3-4 Child and Family Functioning over Time
• Figure 4-1 First Placement after Random Assignment (Families)
• Figure 4-2 First Substantiated Allegation after Random Assignment (Families)
• Figure 4-3 Child and Family Functioning Over Time (Families)

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