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The negative social network: when friends are foes
Child Welfare
|January 1, 1987
Summary
Parental social support and home environment significantly impact foster care reunification. Stronger neighborhood ties and frequent friend interactions increase the likelihood of a child returning home.
Area of Science:
- Child welfare research
- Sociology
- Family studies
Background:
- Child welfare systems aim for timely permanency.
- Foster care reunification is a primary goal.
- Understanding influencing factors is crucial for effective interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify key factors predicting child return to parent from foster care.
- To analyze the role of social environment in reunification success.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of child welfare case data.
- Statistical modeling to assess predictor significance.
Main Results:
- Parental home's number of residents was a significant factor.
- Number of neighborhood friends positively correlated with reunification.
- Frequency of parent-friend interactions showed a significant positive effect.
Conclusions:
- Social support networks and stable home environments are vital for successful foster care reunification.
- Interventions supporting parental social connections may improve child return rates.