Evaluation of a preventive intervention for maltreated infants and toddlers in foster care
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C H Zeanah1, J A Larrieu, S S Heller
1Section of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, USA. czeanah@tulane.edu
Insights
A comprehensive intervention significantly reduced child maltreatment recidivism in foster care. The program improved adoption rates and decreased returns to birth families, though it did not alter time in care.
Area of Science:
- Child Welfare Research
- Pediatric Health Interventions
- Social Work Practice
Background:
- Infants and toddlers in foster care face significant risks.
- Effective interventions are crucial for improving outcomes for vulnerable children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate a comprehensive intervention aimed at enhancing outcomes for infants and toddlers in foster care.
- To assess the intervention's impact on child welfare, recidivism, and length of stay in foster care.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective review of child welfare records in a Louisiana parish from 1991-1998.
- Comparison of outcomes for children adjudicated before (1991-1994) and after (1995-1998) intervention implementation.
Main Results:
- The intervention group showed increased rates of children freed for adoption and decreased returns to birth families.
- No significant difference was observed in the length of time children spent in foster care.
- Substantial relative risk reduction in recidivism for child maltreatment (53-68%) and maternal maltreatment of subsequent children (63-75%) was noted.
Conclusions:
- A comprehensive preventive intervention effectively reduced recidivism rates among maltreated infants and toddlers in foster care.
- The intervention did not influence the duration of time children remained in foster care.
- Findings support the implementation of preventive strategies to mitigate repeat maltreatment in child welfare settings.
Objective:
To determine the effectiveness of an intervention designed to improve outcomes for infants and toddlers in foster care.
Method:
Records were reviewed for all children who were adjudicated as in need of care in a specific parish in Louisiana between 1991 and 1998. This period included 4 years before and 4 years after a comprehensive intervention was implemented. Children adjudicated between 1991 and 1994 were the comparison group, and those adjudicated between 1995 and 1998 were the intervention group.
Results:
After the intervention, more children were freed for adoption and fewer children were returned to their birth families than before the intervention. There was no difference in length of time in care before and after the intervention. With regard to the same child returning in a subsequent incident of maltreatment, relative risk reduction for the intervention group ranged from 53% to 68%. With regard to the same mother maltreating another child subsequently, relative risk reduction for the intervention group ranged from 63% to 75%.
Conclusions:
A comprehensive preventive intervention for maltreated infants and toddlers in foster care substantially reduced rates of recidivism but had no effect on length of time in care.
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