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The early intervention foster care program: permanent placement outcomes from a randomized trial
Philip A Fisher1, Bert Burraston, Katherine Pears
1Oregon Social Learning Center, Eugene, OR 97401-2426, USA. philf@oslc.org
Child Maltreatment
|December 22, 2004
Summary
The Early Intervention Foster Care Program (EIFC) reduces failed permanent placements for preschool foster children. EIFC mitigates risks associated with multiple placement changes, improving long-term outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Child Welfare Research
- Developmental Psychology
- Social Work Interventions
Background:
- Preschool foster children are at high risk for adverse long-term outcomes.
- Increased placement changes exacerbate these risks.
- Existing foster care systems may not adequately address these complex needs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of the Early Intervention Foster Care Program (EIFC) on permanent placement stability.
- To determine if EIFC mitigates the negative impact of prior placement instability.
- To establish an evidence base for EIFC as a preventive intervention.
Main Methods:
- Randomized clinical trial comparing EIFC to regular foster care.
- Focus on preschool-aged children in foster care.
- Analysis of permanent placement outcomes and number of prior placements.
Main Results:
- Children in the EIFC program experienced significantly fewer failed permanent placements.
- EIFC eliminated the association between prior placements and placement instability.
- Prior maltreatment type did not predict permanent placement success.
Conclusions:
- The Early Intervention Foster Care Program (EIFC) significantly improves permanent placement stability for preschool foster children.
- EIFC effectively buffers the detrimental effects of placement history.
- EIFC demonstrates promise as a preventive intervention to enhance foster care outcomes.