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Background: Although secure residential care has the potential of reducing young people's behavioral problems, it is often difficult to achieve positive outcomes. Research suggests that there are several common success factors of treatment, of which the client's motivation for treatment and the quality of the therapeutic relationship between clients and therapists might be especially relevant and important in the context of secure residential care. Objective: The objective of the present study was to explore the association of these potential success factors with secure residential care outcomes. Methods: A repeated measures research design was applied in the study, including a group of adolescents in a secure residential care center that was followed up on three measurements in time. Interviews and questionnaires concerning care outcomes in terms of adolescents' behavior change during care were administered to 22 adolescents and 27 group care workers. Outcomes in terms of adolescents' treatment satisfaction were assessed by the use of questionnaires, which were completed by 51 adolescents. Results: Adolescents reported some positive changes in their treatment motivation, but those who were more likely to be motivated at admission were also more likely to deteriorate in treatment motivation from admission to departure. Treatment satisfaction was associated with better treatment motivation at admission and with a positive adolescent-group care worker relationship. Conclusions: The results suggest that outcomes can be improved by a more explicit treatment focus on improving the adolescent's treatment motivation and the quality of the adolescent-care worker relationship during secure residential care. (Contains 6 tables.)

Although parental problems and poor parenting are commonly associated with adolescents' admission to secure residential care, few studies examined these parental characteristics. This study aims to identify parental problems and strengths and their association with parenting styles for 64 of these parents. We assessed perspectives of both adolescents and their parent figures shortly after admission. Parents often report high levels of psychopathology for both mothers and fathers, respectively, including depression (54.7% and 39.1%), anxiety (29.7% and 12.5%), substance dependence (14.1% and 26.6%), antisocial behaviour (1.6% and 21.1%), and psychosis (11.0% and 9.4%). Parents also report high parenting stress specifically related to the behaviour of their child. In contrast to our expectations, most parents experience a high quality of life. Living in a 1‐parent family, being unemployed and having debts are most frequently mentioned risk factor combinations. We found limited support for the hypothesis that parents with more risk and less protective factors show poorer parenting. Parents with more psychopathology and parenting stress do show poorer parenting than parents without these problems. Based on our findings, we describe several implications for engaging and supporting parents of adolescents in secure residential care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The participation of young people in care and treatment decisions is regarded as an essential element in effective decision-making and care. Although care and treatment in juvenile justice facilities is, in the first instance, based on a coercive placement (i.e. non-participatory decision-making), it is likely that participation is also essential for young offenders during their stay in care. In our study, we interviewed 24 care professionals working in two different juvenile justice facilities in the Netherlands. Professionals understand what participation entails (e.g. informing, listening to, taking views into account), and how and why they can use participation in everyday practice. Typically, they link issues such as safety and existing boundaries when talking about participation in a coercive context. Based on our findings, we present a conceptual model of factors that seem to influence a young person’s participation process. These findings indicate that there is a need for the structural incorporation of youth participation into juvenile justice facilities in such a way as to consider the needs and perspectives of both young people and professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Participation in decision‐making procedures of young people in care is considered a key element that affects their current or future living circumstances and might improve the quality of decision‐making on and delivery of provided services. This narrative literature review, covering the period 2000–2016, focuses on the opportunities of young people to participate, the challenges and facilitators to participation, and the outcomes of care related to participation. Sixteen studies met our search criteria. Several studies show that young people seem to have limited possibilities to “meaningful” participation in decision‐making. Various challenges and facilitators in the participation process emerge with regard to the level of the young person, the professional, and the (sociocultural) context. None of the studies provides evidence for a connection between the “amount” of youth participation in decision‐making and/or treatment during the care process and the outcomes of residential care. Implications for research and practice are reflected upon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although adolescents often seem to improve in their functioning during residential care, there still is little knowledge on what factors are important in achieving these changes. The present study aims to identify the care factors that are important for adolescents' behavior change during secure residential care. We conducted in-depth interviews with eight adolescents, their parents, eight group care workers and seven teachers concerning their in-care experiences. Both adolescents and parents commonly attributed changes during secure residential care to the treatment environment. Group care workers and teachers did not have a clear, consistent view on the treatment aspects causing positive change with the adolescents. According to the adolescents, good professionals apply a fine balance between rules and freedom, show empathy and are available for support. The view of parents corresponds to this image. Although group care workers are perceived as available for support, adolescents tend to make little use of this help if they experience personal problems during care. The results highlight the importance of responsiveness of secure residential care professionals to the needs and perspectives of adolescents and parents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compares the views of unaccompanied minors living in four different types of care facilities in the Netherlands: namely in foster care, small living units, children's living groups and campuses on their wellbeing, living circumstances and place in Dutch society. Interviews with 132 minors were both qualitatively and quantitatively analysed. Based on the transcripts from the interviews the researchers completed a questionnaire (BIC-Q) to judge the quality of the child rearing environment in the different types of care facilities. Minors in foster care fare best and are most positive about their place in Dutch society. Minors in small living units and small living groups often miss affectionate bonds, care, support and stability in their lives. Minors in campuses most often expressed feeling lonely and sad and being excluded from the Dutch society. They experience a lack of care and support from adults. The quality of the child rearing environment in campuses was judged by the researchers as being so low that these facilities appear to be unfit for unaccompanied minors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite poor school performance by adolescents in secure residential care and the potential importance of education during care, little is known about how to achieve academic success with these adolescents. Objective: Therefore, the aim of the present study is to assess adolescents' academic achievement during secure residential care and to identify factors that are associated with adolescents' achievement. Methods: In the present study, we have included a sample of 53 adolescents in secure residential care using information from the individual care plans, the adolescents themselves, and their teachers. Results: Contrary to our expectations, teachers report an average-to-good school performance for a majority of the adolescents (53.8 %). Partly consistent with our expectations, students with an average intelligence level, good academic motivation, and/or relatively few externalizing behavioral problems show significantly better academic achievement than students with a low intelligence level, poor academic motivation, and/or many externalizing problems. The results also suggest that low intelligence and poor motivation predict academic achievement, both directly and indirectly, through an increased risk for externalizing problems. Unexpectedly, we did not find significant associations between teachers' interaction skills, student-teacher relationship quality, and adolescents' academic achievement. Conclusions: Considering our findings, future research should aim at interventions that focus on improving teachers' ability to handle poor academic motivation and externalizing behavioral problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Many adolescents who make the transition to adulthood experience problems after their departure from secure residential care. Research suggests that these young people are often in need of support after they have left secure care. Little is known about the experiences and perceptions of adolescents during and after this transition. The aim of this article is to assess these experiences for a group of 24 adolescents in the Netherlands that have left secure residential care. The results show, in line with previous studies, that many adolescents experience problems during their transition from secure care, especially with regard to finances, school and employment, and living arrangements. In contrast to other studies, a majority of the adolescents reports to have received support in the year following their departure. Relatively few adolescents move to independence after their departure, which suggests that many adolescents are not ready for making a true transition into adulthood yet. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• This is a first review of factors underlying placement instability in residential care. • We found limited evidence of dynamic factors associated with placement instability. • There is a need for longitudinal studies with multiple informant perspectives. Placement instability in residential youth care is an important issue. Youth in residential care have the highest number of previous placements compared to youth in other types of out-of-home care (e.g., foster care), and the high number of previous placements can be experienced as traumatic events. Placement instability is associated with negative outcomes for youth, such as mental health problems. However, there is no review of the factors associated with placement instability in residential care. In this study, we reviewed research (qualitative and quantitative) on factors related to placement instability in residential youth care. A search in four databases (PsycINFO, ERIC, SocINDEX, and Medline) resulted in 10,299 hits. After selecting on the inclusion criteria, we included fifteen articles in our analysis. We identified several youth, family, decision-making, care, and, organizational factors associated with placement instability in residential care. In general, the number of studies focusing on placement instability is small. Most studies focused on static (i.e., unchangeable) youth factors, such as sex and age. We found some indications that dynamic (i.e., changeable) family, care, and organizational factors, such as poor parenting skills, low staff competence and turnover of professionals are positively associated with placement instability. It is striking that most of the included studies focused mainly on static youth factors. We need more knowledge about dynamic factors to reduce placement instability in residential youth care. Future research should focus on elements that might prevent placement instability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]