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Foster care children and family homelessness
C Zlotnick1, D Kronstadt, L Klee
1Center for the Vulnerable Child, Children's Hospital Oakland, Calif 94609-1809, USA.
Insights
Family homelessness is strongly linked to children entering foster care. This study found nearly half of foster children
Area of Science:
- Child Welfare Research
- Social Determinants of Health
- Family Studies
Background:
- Homelessness is a significant risk factor for child maltreatment and family separation.
- Understanding the prevalence of family homelessness among children in foster care is crucial for effective interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between parental homelessness and children's entry into the foster care system.
- To determine the prevalence of homelessness among birth parents of children in foster care.
Main Methods:
- A random sample of 195 young children in foster care was assessed.
- Data on parental homelessness and sibling/nonrelative placement were collected.
Main Results:
- Nearly half of the birth parents of children in foster care reported experiencing homelessness.
- Children whose parents experienced homelessness were more likely to have siblings in foster care.
- These children were also more likely to be placed with nonrelative caregivers.
Conclusions:
- Family homelessness is highly prevalent among children in the foster care system.
- The findings highlight the need for policies addressing family homelessness to prevent foster care placement.
- Interventions should consider the impact of parental homelessness on child welfare outcomes.
Objectives:
This study examined the association between family homelessness and children's placement in foster care.
Methods:
The prevalence of homelessness in a random sample of 195 young foster children was examined.
Results:
Almost half of the birth parents of the foster children had experienced homelessness. Those children were more likely than other foster children to have siblings in foster care and to be place with nonrelatives.
Conclusions:
An extremely high prevalence of family homelessness was found among children in foster care. Policy implications of the association between family homelessness and placement into foster care are discussed.