Post-permanency service needs, service utilization, and placement discontinuity for kinship versus non-kinship families

The number of children who exit the foster care system and achieve permanency through kinship adoption or guardianship has grown rapidly in the past two decades. However, few studies have compared service needs and service utilization for kinship versus non-kinship post-permanency families or examin...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Children and youth services review 2014-09, Vol.44, p.370-378
Main Authors: Liao, Minli, White, Kevin R.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Kinship adoption
Kinship guardianship
Placement discontinuity
Post-permanency
Service needs
Service utilization
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Summary:The number of children who exit the foster care system and achieve permanency through kinship adoption or guardianship has grown rapidly in the past two decades. However, few studies have compared service needs and service utilization for kinship versus non-kinship post-permanency families or examined long-term outcomes for children in permanent kinship homes. This study compared service needs, services sought, unmet needs, and placement discontinuity for kinship and non-kinship adoptive and guardianship families. Propensity score weights were used in bivariate and multivariate regression models to account for selection bias. Consistent with previous studies, results indicated substantive differences in socio-demographic characteristics for children and caregivers in kinship placements as compared to those in non-kinship placements. Kinship caregivers also reported fewer needs and sought fewer services than non-kinship caregivers. No relationship was found between kinship status and unmet service needs or discontinuity, but several covariates were associated with placement failure, including child behavior problems, adoptive versus guardianship placement, and unmarried caregiver. •We compared service needs, utilization, and placement discontinuity.•Propensity score weights were used to account for selection bias.•Substantive differences were found in socio-demographic characteristics.•Kin families reported fewer needs and sought fewer services than non-kin families.•No relationship was found between kinship status and unmet needs or discontinuity.
ISSN:0190-7409
1873-7765
DOI:10.1016/j.childyouth.2014.07.007