Early citizen review: does it make a difference?
M A Jennings1, T McDonald, R A Henderson
1Department of Social Work, Southwest Missouri State University 65804, USA.
Social Work
|March 1, 1996
Summary
Early external citizen review for children in foster care can improve case planning and reduce time in foster care. This review aims to achieve better permanent placement outcomes for children.
Area of Science:
- Child Welfare Research
- Public Policy Analysis
- Social Work Practice
Background:
- Case review is crucial for effective planning and service delivery for children in foster care.
- The goal of case review is to shorten time in foster care and achieve permanent placements.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of early external citizen review on children in foster care.
- To determine if timely review affects service provision, court processes, and placement stability.
Main Methods:
- A comparative study design was employed.
- Two groups were compared: one receiving early external citizen review (14-45 days post-entry) and a control group.
- Key outcomes measured included service delivery, court delays, case plan completeness, placement changes, and time to permanent placement.
Main Results:
- Early citizen review positively impacted the completeness of written case plans.
- The study observed a reduction in court delays for cases with early review.
- While not statistically significant in all areas, trends suggested improved service delivery and movement towards permanent placements.
Conclusions:
- Implementing early external citizen review can enhance the quality of case planning and potentially expedite permanency for children in foster care.
- Findings support policy considerations for integrating timely citizen review into child welfare systems.
- Further research is recommended to explore long-term impacts and optimize review processes.
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