Child Protective Custody Placement for Children with Developmental Disorders

Area of Science:

• Child Welfare
• Developmental Psychology
• Public Health

Background:

• Children in protective custody often face complex challenges.
• Developmental disorders (DD) can impact a child's placement stability and duration in care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare placement types and length of stay in protective custody for children with and without DD.
• To examine placement differences within the DD group based on specific diagnoses.

Main Methods:

• Observational retrospective study utilizing linked child welfare and electronic health records.
• Analysis of 2787 participants aged 5-20 years in a large Ohio county.
• DD diagnoses identified through problem and encounter diagnosis codes.

Main Results:

• Children with DD were less likely to be in kinship placement (aOR=0.79) and more likely in congregate care (aOR=1.26) and nonrelative foster care (aOR=1.20).
• Children with DD experienced significantly longer lengths of stay in protective custody (p ≤ 0.001).
• Placement likelihood for independent living did not differ; placement changes did not differ after accounting for length of stay.

Conclusions:

• Children with DD in protective custody face different placement patterns and longer care durations compared to peers.
• Findings suggest a need for targeted support mechanisms for children with DD in child welfare.
• Further research is needed to understand factors contributing to prolonged stays for children with DD.