Child Welfare

Issue Papers on Foster Care and Adoption Foster Care Dynamics in Urban and Non-Urban Counties February 2002 This paper is available on the Internet at:http://aspe.hhs.gov/hsp/fostercare-issues02/dynamics/index.htm

By virtue of their developmental stage, it is the adolescents of incarcerated parents who have the potential to have the greatest impact on society at large, and in this paper, we focus on the most powerful problem that they can exhibit, antisocial behavior.

For imprisoned mothers, one of the greatest punishments incarceration carries with it is separation from their children. As one mother put it, "I can do time alone OK. But its not knowing what's happening to my son that hurts most". As this quote suggests, when parents are incarcerated, "what's happening" to their children is a great concern. It is a concern for us as well.

Contents Permanency and Reunification Trends in 25 States Reunification From Foster Care in Nine States 1990-1997: Description and Interpretation The Role of Race in Parental Reunification Casework Decision Making

Contents Findings in Brief Background Program Approaches and Implementation Features Research Designs and Samples Five-Year Effects on Use of Employment-Related Services and Costs

Overview Welfare reform policies are sometimes referred to as "two generational" because not only are the lives of the parents changed by government welfare-to-work programs, but the lives of the children are changed as well. At the most basic level, children's time use patterns and child care patterns are likely to change.

Contents   Characteristics and Service Needs of Kinship Caregivers Alternative Kinship Care Program Models and Services Lessons Learned about Designing and Implementing Alternative Programs Policy Implications  

Prepared by: Walter R. McDonald & Associates, Inc.

Background The Homebuilders Model Evaluation Design Site Descriptions The Families Service Provision Findings Implications