Factors Affecting Out-of-Home Placement of Young Children with Disabilities and High Support Needs.

This paper reports on a portion of a study on community support and respite for families of children with disabilities in New South Wales (Australia). This part of the study focused on identification of factors influencing families when making decisions about caring for their young child at home or seeking an out-of-home placement. The study used ecocultural theory to examine the views of the families themselves. Ecocultural theory proposes that the central adaptive problem of all families is the construction of a sustainable, meaningful, and congruent daily routine of family life. Questionnaires were administered and interviews conducted with 171 families. Respondents were grouped into those definitely not wanting out-of-home care (n=125), those undecided about care (n=32), and those either receiving out-of-home care or seeking such care (n=10). Analysis focused on eight factors: (1) family coherence; (2) proactive involvement and use of special services; (3) integration and quality future; (4) finance; (5) father's involvement; (6) mother's availability; (7) religion; and (8) sibling involvement and concern. Families who did not want alternative care were characterized by a strong sense of responsibility and a desire to provide family care which they viewed as superior to any other type of care. Families who had sought or were seeking alternative care viewed such care as necessary for family survival--physically, emotionally, or socially. (Contains 15 references.) (DB)