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Explored perceptions of children in long-term foster care about their biological family and ideal family representation. Found that subjects related to their foster caregivers as "family," challenging assumptions about the primacy of the biological bond, and that genealogical closeness guarantees socioemotional closeness under all circumstances. (BAC)

Reports the findings of a survey that explored the attitudes and attributes of nonrelative family foster caregivers and kinship caregivers for children adjudicated dependent and placed by a state public welfare agency. Found significant differences on several demographic variables, in the frequency of caseworker contacts and in perceptions and attitudes. (TJQ)

Foster parents must be able to accept and accommodate the wide variety of religious beliefs and experiences that children coming into family foster care bring with them. A learning module was developed to help foster parents examine their religious beliefs and learn how they would respond to the different needs of foster children with respect to their religious beliefs. (TJQ)

New York's Transitional Foster Care Program assists adolescents in foster family care in making successful transitions to independent living. The basic principles underlying the program are individualized plans, a multi-level approach, adult learning standards, and reality-based experiences. Variations include a mentor model and a boarder model. Major goals are budgeting and money management, problem solving, and planning skills. (KDFB)

Reviews Michigan Kinship Project, a case management approach that is competency based and designed to assist child welfare staff members in working effectively with relatives as foster parents. Focuses on attention to culture, family participation and empowerment, systematic assessment, and individualized and comprehensive services. Provides case outcome information. (Author/SD)

Presents a framework for assessing kinship homes that differs from traditional family foster home evaluation due to the differences between kinship homes and those of other prospective foster parents. Argues that distinctive criteria for approving placement of children in kinship homes are needed in the areas of home evaluation before placement and home evaluation for permanent placement. (Author/SD)

Proposed a conceptual framework for analyzing kinship care policy that uses five new permanency outcomes. Concluded that, in formulating their own policies, states must separate a caregiver's need for support (money and services) from a child's need for supervision (casework oversight). Concludes that states must proceed cautiously in altering their policies. (Author)

Studied associations between type of placement in out-of-home care (kinship versus nonrelative) and selected outcomes in adulthood. Found few differences in adult functioning despite significant differences in functioning during care between children in kinship care and those in nonrelative family foster care. (Author/SD)

Describes efforts in Illinois to improve permanency outcomes for children in formal kinship care: the state developed Delegated Relative Authority (DRA) status for children in stable family foster care with relatives while maintaining state support in situations where adoption was unlikely. Presents findings from 1,116 feasibility assessments. (SD)

Presents a case study of the development of kinship care policy in Illinois due to court decisions regarding the provision of financial support to relatives acting as foster parents. Compares recent reform of kinship care policies in Illinois with welfare reform efforts across the country and their national implications. (SD)

Compared 63 non-foster care adolescents with 42 placed in kinship care and 69 in non-relative foster family care in their readiness for independent living. Found no significant differences in perceptions of independent living skills and preparation for independent living. Foster care adolescents, however, were more likely to worry about their future and expect to support themselves after school. (AA)

Examined the effectiveness of long-term treatment foster care placements. Results indicated that: much depends on change as well as stability in a family; a small number of children accounts for a disproportionate number of placement changes; supports after permanent placements into adoption or reunification are desirable; and a continuum of resources, rather than formally designated services, is essential. (AA)

Examines the impact of family foster care placement, as experienced by several children ages 11 to 14. Found that the children described their lives and circumstances positively for the most part, despite the fact that placement caused severe disruption for the children because of the necessity of blending into new neighborhoods, schools, families, and friendships. (AA)

Evaluated the development of 44 children adopted from Romanian orphanages. Adoptive parents described their children twice, using the Revised Denver Prescreening Developmental questionnaire when they first met the children, and again at approximately 11 months postadoption. Showed that progress was equal across areas, and that, on average, children progressed two developmental quotient points per month in their adoptive homes. (AA)

This article focuses on homeless families, the fastest growing segment of the homeless population. The article summarizes current research on the characteristics of homeless families and provides an overview of government homeless policy. Recommendations are presented for developing future homeless policies that incorporate family principles. (Author/RJM)

Examines the literature on the relationship between educational deficit and various risk and protective factors: history of abuse or neglect, foster placement, child age, and environmental conditions. Findings suggest interventions with preschoolers that focus on strengthening children's socioemotional competencies and differentiate between needs of abused and neglected children. Notes that foster care does not appear to be an additional risk factor. (DR)

Presents a strategy for foster family care operation in Korea. Includes discussions of a history of Korean foster care, present condition and problems, an operational plan, recommendations, and an overview of the American experience with foster family care and its implications for Korea. (DR)

This study asked 40 children and adolescents to rate their own and their foster families using the Family Assessment Measure. It found that the children rated the functioning of their foster families well within the normal range but tended to rate their own families as closer to the norms for problem families. (MDM)

Describes features of specialized family foster care in Finland for children with developmental disabilities, and issues such as professionalization and training of foster parents. Includes a case study of a 12-year-old boy. Highlights features of the Finnish system which might be adapted to the American system. (BAC)

Examined association between sibling relationships and developmental outcomes in 25 preschool foster children placed with older siblings. Found some association, though inconsistent, between quality of the relationship and child behavior problems and verbal ability. Results suggest the complexity of high-risk sibling relationships and its impact on child welfare placement policy. (HTH)

Notes that, since 1982, the proportion of children in out-of-home care placed with relatives has increased rapidly and substantially, accompanied by decrease in number of foster families. Presents a range of definitions, policy issues, and ways of conceptualizing kinship care; emphasizes the experience of children and families of color as they relate to kinship care. (TM)

Between 1854 and 1930, the placing-out or orphan train strategy (forerunner of modern family foster care) relocated approximately 150,000 orphaned or impoverished children from New York to families in the Midwest. The goal was to rear children in rural families to increase their chance of becoming productive adults. Some criticisms of the practice have been validated. (TM)

Historically, Americans' arrangements for rearing of impoverished children away from their homes have changed. In colonial America, children of all classes were indentured to learn a trade; in the 1850s, children were sent west to rural families. In the 20th century, boarding out developed into the modern foster care system as the role of social work and government grew. (TM)

Examines maintenance of continuity in relationships between children and birth parents, arguing that contact is often used by social workers for assessment rather than to maintain emotional bonds between children and birth parents, and that behavior can be misinterpreted in contact settings. Suggests that special attention should be paid to the needs of black children in contact planning. (AJH)

The practice of relatives or kin parenting children when their parents cannot is a time-honored tradition in most cultures. Increasingly, however, kinship care is an arrangement that operates within the formal child welfare system. This report focuses on formal kinship care. In the first section, two chapters describe the essential place of kinship care in the array of child welfare services, both in terms of family preservation and out-of-home care. They examine the use of kinship care as a child welfare service under the Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980 (P. L. 96-272) and as a support for principles of child-centered, family-focused practice. The growth and characteristics of formal kinship care practice are also examined. Chapters in the second section focus on kinship care policy and practice. Chapter 3 summarizes existing policy and law at the federal and state levels, and in relation to litigation. Chapter 4 raises a number of critical policy and practice questions that must be addressed as kinship care policy and practice continue to develop. In the third section, chapters 5 and 6 provide a foundation for the future of kinship care by defining guiding principles, then setting forth a policy and practice framework based on those principles. Each component of the framework is described, and recommendations and action steps are outlined. The fourth section provides an action agenda that will support the continuing development and implementation of quality kinship care policy and practice. The agenda addresses needed activities on the part of child welfare agencies, legislative directions, and issues for further research. Contains 22 references and a list of members of the Child Welfare League's Kinship Care Policy and Practice committee. (TJQ)

Describes a technique of video-taping interactions between children and foster parents for use in counseling sessions to improve the parent child relationship. (HTH)

This study report provides information about kinship foster care and foster family care focusing on the demographic characteristics of the providers; the services providers receive; the children served in care; and issues of visitation with birth parents. The study highlights marked differences in providers and in the services they receive, and examines policy and practice considerations in this field. (TJQ)

Surveyed adoptive families, most of whom had adopted special-needs children, to determine changes in child and family functioning. The study's core finding is that "problems" in special-needs adoption do not dissipate over time but exist over the course of adoption. Findings also support the need for enhanced postadoptive services. (AS)

Analyzed event history data on population of 629 foster homes over 23-year period, showing that pattern of exits from providing care could be explained in part by "liability of adolescence" hypothesis. Risk of exit, initially low, increased with chronological aging of family, and then showed pattern of decline. (Author/NB)

Summarizes findings from the National Evaluation of Title IV-E Independent Living Programs for Youth in Foster Care. With respect to education completion, young parenthood, and use of public assistance, discharged foster care youth more closely resemble 18- to 24-year-olds living below the poverty level than 18- to 24-year-olds in the general population.(AA)

Compares two models for delivering emancipation preparation services to foster youths on pragmatic, structural, and client outcomes dimensions. The models differ primarily on the extent of caseworker involvement. Suggests that a model which incorporates both skill-building programs and an intensive and integrated case management function holds promise for improved outcomes for foster care youths. (AA)

Responsibility, self-care, supportive environment, and employment were analyzed as significant indicators of readiness for independent living for adolescents in foster care. Results indicated that school performance, mental health problems, hours worked per week, total number of placements, contact with father, ethnicity, and caretaker perceptions of being asked assistance were significant predictors of these indicators. (AA)

Assessed life-skills knowledge levels among older foster adolescents in foster family homes, group homes/institutions, and apartments. Results suggest a need to improve life-skills preparation in group home/institutional settings, to target minority males for life-skills enhancement in all placement settings, and to utilize apartment placements to supplement foster home, group home, and institutional placements. (AA)