Elementary School-Aged Children in Therapeutic Residential Care: Examining Latent Classes, Service Provision, and...

Approximately one-third of children in residential care are elementary-school aged. Yet, little is known about the subset of younger children in residential care and the nature of these placements.

This study identified latent classes of younger children in residential care and compared the purposes for placement, treatment processes, and outcomes across classes.

The sample included 216 children (ages 5-10) placed in therapeutic residential care.

A three-step latent class model was used to estimate conditional effects of class membership on impairment at discharge, length of stay, and discharge placement. A content analysis of a randomly selected sample of case records from each class was used to explore placement processes.

There were three classes identified (class 1: child welfare/multi-problem families; class 2: mental-health/angry-oppositional; class 3: strong families/attachment). All classes experienced large improvements in functioning. Children in class 3 were in care longer (CI_95% 1.72, 15.48) and experienced greater reductions in impairment (CI_95% -11.17, -32.06) than class 2. Classes did not differ in rates of discharge to family-based care, however, more children in classes 1 (20.9%) and 3 (21.6%) discharged to group-based placements than class 2 (11.1%). The content analysis revealed similarities in reasons for placement and treatment processes across classes with some distinctions. Service goals were similar across classes and focused on emotional management, social skills, and developing trust.

The results supported individualized approaches to facilitate discharge to stable, family-based care and reduced risks for re-entry and prolonged out-of-home care for younger children.