NCJ Number
51035
Date Published
1977
Length
122 pages
Annotation
THIS EVALUATION OF A LONG-TERM PLACEMENT PROJECT USING A SERIES OF VILLAGES FOUND THAT THE FACILITY PROVIDED A STABLE ENVIRONMENT AND IMPROVED SELF-CONCEPTS. THE NEED FOR A NEW APPROACH TO LONG-TERM PLACEMENT IS DISCUSSED.
Abstract
EVALUATION OF THIS KANSAS PROGRAM TO PROVIDE LONGTERM CARE, IN A GROUP FOSTER HOME SETTING, FOR HOMELESS, NEGLECTED, DEPENDENT, PREDELINQUENT, AND DESERTED CHILDREN COMBINED 18 MONTHS OF INSTITUTIONAL OBSERVATION WITH A 2-YEAR FOLLOWUP OF CHILDREN NO LONGER IN CARE. IT WAS NOT DIFFICULT TO OBTAIN CONTROLS. BECAUSE THERE WERE FEW AVAILABLE PLACES AT THE VILLAGES, ONLY A FOURTH TO A THIRD OF THE CHILDREN WHO MET THE CRITERIA WERE ADMITTED. MANY REJECTED DURING THE FIRST 6-MONTH OBSERVATION PERIOD REAPPLIED DURING THE SECOND 6-MONTH PERIOD, HAVING HAD A SERIES OF SHORT TERM PLACEMENTS IN THE MEANTIME. FOLLOWUP OF 'GRADUATES' FOUND THAT AT 6 MONTHS 2 WERE INSTITUTIONALIZED, 2 HAD COURT CONTACTS, 18 WERE IN SCHOOL. AT 12 MONTHS THE REMAINING 14 WERE ALL IN SCHOOL, COLLEGE, OR WORKING. ONLY 6 COULD BE FOLLOWED FOR 2 YEARS AND THEY WERE SUCCESSFUL. TESTS ADMINISTERED SHOWED THE VILLAGES' PROGRAM IMPROVED SELF-CONCEPTS BUT HAD NO SIGNIFICANT EFFECT ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE. THE MAJOR PORTION OF THE PAPER DISCUSSES THE PROBLEM OF LONG TERM CARE FOR NEGLECTED AND DEPENDENT CHILDREN. THOSE WHO HAD POOR ADJUSTMENT AT THE VILLAGES WERE THOSE WITH A HISTORY OF SHORT TERM PLACEMENTS. THE EMOTIONAL DAMAGE CAUSED BY SUCH HANDLING IS DISCUSSED IN DETAIL. LAWS WHICH ALLOW NATURAL PARENTS TO MOVE CHILDREN FROM ONE FOSTER PLACEMENT TO ANOTHER ARE CRITICIZED, AS IS THE LACK OF LONG TERM FACILITIES. MORE THAN HALF THE GRADUATES COULD NOT BE FOLLOWED BECAUSE NO PARENT COULD BE FOUND TO GIVE PERMISSION. THIS REQUIREMENT FOR EVALUATION IS CRITICIZED AND IT IS SUGGESTED THAT SOCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT RULES BE CHANGED. APPENDIXES CONTAIN CHARTS AND TABLES PRESENTING EVALUATION DATA, COPIES OF ADMISSION CRITERIA FOR THE VILLAGES, AND REFERENCES.