NCJ Number
216198
Journal
Child Maltreatment Volume: 11 Issue: 4 Dated: November 2006 Pages: 338-345
Date Published
November 2006
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This study identified variables associated with foster mothers' level of commitment to foster children who ranged in age from 5 months to 5 years.
Abstract
Among 84 foster parent-child pairs, foster mothers who previously fostered the most children had lower levels of commitment than foster mother who had fostered fewer children. Level of commitment was also linked to the child's age at placement; foster parents showed higher levels of commitment to children who were placed at younger ages than to children who were placed at older ages. The commitment level of the foster parents predicted the stability of the relationship, in that higher levels of foster parent commitment were associated with a greater likelihood of the child's adoption or long-term placement. The findings indicate the importance of designing a child welfare system whose placements will enhance foster parents' commitment to their foster children. The 84 foster parent-child pairs were mostly from urban areas in the mid-Atlantic region. They were recruited as part of a longitudinal study of how young children cope with early foster care placements. All of the children entered the foster care system as infants or toddlers. Foster parents' commitment was assessed with a semistructured interview called the "This Is My Baby" interview (TIMB; Bates and Dozier, 1998). Risk-factor data were obtained from official records that consisted of summaries of parental reports and investigative findings of the Department of Social Services. Risk factors included history of physical abuse, history of neglect, prenatal substance exposure, premature birth, and maternal psychopathology. 4 tables, 24 references, and appended TIMB questions and rating guidelines