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Boarder babies and placement in foster care
1Children's Bureau, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC, USA.
Insights
The "boarder baby" phenomenon, involving infants left in hospitals, surged due to substance abuse and poor inter-agency coordination. This article examines its history, characteristics, and policy implications.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Social Work
Background:
- The
- boarder baby
- phenomenon emerged in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
- It is characterized by infants remaining hospitalized due to lack of appropriate discharge placement.
- Substance abuse among birthing mothers and inadequate inter-agency collaboration are key contributing factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the early history and evolution of the
- boarder baby
- problem.
- To analyze the characteristics of the affected infant and mother populations.
- To explore policy implications, including toxicology screening and victim identification.
Main Methods:
- Historical review of the
- boarder baby
- phenomenon.
- Analysis of demographic and clinical characteristics of affected infants and mothers.
- Discussion of relevant legal and social policies.
Main Results:
- The
- boarder baby
- phenomenon is strongly linked to maternal alcohol and drug abuse.
- A historical lack of coordination between hospitals and child welfare systems exacerbates the problem.
- Toxicology screening policies and their interpretation require careful consideration.
Conclusions:
- Addressing the
- boarder baby
- crisis requires improved inter-agency cooperation and targeted interventions for substance-abusing mothers.
- Clearer policies on infant testing and victim identification are crucial.
- Alternative solutions and support systems are needed to ensure timely and safe discharge for these vulnerable infants.
Abstract:
This article describes the early history of the "boarder baby" phenomenon through the late 1980s and early 1990s. The characteristics of the recent "boarder baby" population and of the problem are described with particular emphasis on the role of alcohol and drug abuse and the historical lack of coordination between hospitals and child welfare agencies. Three additional topics are discussed in depth: (1) policies around testing mother and infants, (2) the meaning and use of a positive toxicology screen for a newborn or birthing mother, and (3) the identification and characterization of the victim. Alternative solutions to the problem are discussed.