Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Understanding Awol As A Crisis Response In Out-Of-Home Placement Settings, Stephen James Oby Jr

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Youth elopement from out-of-home placement settings, an act colloquially referred to as AWOL, is a frequent and extremely risky outcome for youth and a key concern for child welfare entities. AWOL is hypothesized here as a maladaptive coping response to the experience of out-of-home placement as a crisis-inducing event. Conceiving of AWOL as a response to a crisis state redefines apparent risk factors as crisis origins and enables an understanding of which youth may experience a removal and out-of-home placement event as crisis inducing. Factors related to AWOL outcomes are embedded within an ecological systems framework and the interactions between …

"We Had To Rely On Each Other": Voices Of Latinx Foster Youth With Experiences In Care With Siblings, Isabella B. Ginsberg

University Honors Theses

Relationships between members of sibling groups have been found to impact well-being for children who enter foster care. Being placed in stranger foster care is often challenging and can be traumatic with children reporting confusion, worry, and loss of identity and sense of belonging. While there is some research that explores the experiences of siblings groups in foster care and others separately that examines Latinx children in foster care, there is very little information that looks into the potentially unique experiences of Latinx individuals who were in care with siblings that also accounts for cultural nuance.

This study used a …

Adverse Childhood Experiences, Resilience, And Coping Of Foster Parents, Jacqueline Rush

Honors Theses

Foster parents are people who are caregivers for children in foster care. Resilience is a trait that is developed by the exposure of stress, and adversity (Cicchetti & Garmezy, 1993). Some foster parents remain resilient and others do not. The purpose of this study was to examine whether or not Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) has any impact on foster parents’ resilience, coping, satisfaction, and intent to continue fostering. This study included 114 current foster parents from across the United States. The study at hand found that 59.6% of foster parents experienced one ACEs or more, which is lower than the …

Foster Parent Disciplinary Strategies And Child Behaviors, Tamarah Taylor

Honors Theses

Foster parents are tasked with creating a safe and stable environment for the youth while also trying to parent and address challenging behaviors (Elgar, Mills, McGrath, Waschbusch, & Brownridge, 2007). Although these behaviors can also be found in youth in the general population, they are more common among foster youth (Van Holen & Vanschoonlandt, 2017). This mixed-methods study involved using an Internet questionnaire to measure influential factors of parenting (i.e. stress, satisfaction, involvement) and the qualitative questions explored foster parents’ experiences with behaviors and which parenting strategies have been helpful and non-helpful. The quantitative results of this study concluded that …

Kinship Diversion : Exploring Experiences Of Relative Probate Guardianship In Los Angeles, Ca., Alison Davies

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This qualitative study explored the characteristics and experiences of relative caregivers in Los Angeles County who were involved in a child welfare practice called “kinship diversion.” It specifically examined cases in which caregivers were diverted to probate court to obtain legal guardianship of their relatives' children as an alternative to opening a case with the child welfare system due to allegations of abuse or neglect against the biological parents. Five kinship caregivers were interviewed with a focus on answering the questions of who is diverted to legal guardianship, and why?

The findings of this study showed that diversion occurred …

The Effects Of Economic Factors On The Out-Of-Home Placement For Neglected Children, Mi Jin Choi

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

U.S. child welfare services provides children who cannot be cared for by their families with out-of-home (OOH) care, which is temporary residential care outside of a child’s original home. Economic factors are critical in making consistent OOH placement decisions due to their relationship with child development and safety.

Investigating The Impact Of Sibling Foster Care On Placement Stability, Jeffrey David Waid

Dissertations and Theses

Sibling relationships are an important, yet under investigated aspect of foster care research. Despite the fact that between 65-85% of children in care have brothers and sisters, only recently have child welfare researchers begun to explore the complex and dynamic nature of sibling relationships in substitute care settings. Although cross-sectional and longitudinal studies suggest differences in placement stability and permanency outcomes for siblings placed together versus those placed separately, the conditions under which sibling relationships influence placement stability, permanency, and well-being in foster care settings remain unknown.

This dissertation investigated how family dynamics and home setting characteristics influenced the likelihood …

Educational Experiences Of Emancipated Foster Youth: An Exploratory Study, Cynthia Joyce Stunkard

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The data obtained in this qualitative study focused on the educational experiences of youth formerly in foster care after graduation from high school from the viewpoint of the youth. Data were gathered from interviews from 10 participants. Themes included: (a) How do youth emancipated from foster care perceive their educational experiences? (b) What could teachers have done differently to assist the foster youth when he/she first arrived in the classroom or when he/she was moving to another placement? (c) What did teacher do to help the foster youth feel welcomed and part of the classroom community?

Interviews were conducted and …

Social Workers' Perspectives On Implementation Of Extended Foster Care In San Bernardino County Children And Family Services, Brandi Vanessa Guzman

Theses Digitization Project

This study partners with San Bernardino County Children and Family Services (CFS) to assess child welfare employees on how extended foster care is being implemented. Data was collected via face-to-face interviews with extended foster (EFC) social workers. The goals of this study were to assess the needs of non minor dependents through qualitative interviews with case carrying workers, to assess the strengths and areas of need in services for non-minor dependents, to evaluate initial outcomes of Extended Foster Care (EFC) from the workers perspective, to identify and provide education and training suggestions and materials for future and current child welfare …

Foster Parents' Perceptions On The Implementation Of Extended Foster Care, Sandy Lee Melancon, Heidie Kay Morris

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to explore, from the perspectives of the foster parents, what services were being utilized, what assistance have been provided, and what more can be done to assist young adults in the process of transitioning from foster care to extended foster care. This study focused on the implementation process and beginning outcomes of extended foster care using the unique perspective of foster parents who currently care for a foster care young adult. This study examined San Bernardino County Department of Children and Family Services (CFS) foster parents' views on the implementation of Ecological Systems Theory …

Foster Youth Group Homes: A Needs Assessment, Diana Cecilia Highsmith

Theses Digitization Project

The focus of this study is to identify the key elements of effective care in foster youth group homes from perspectives of the direct care staff. Specific outcomes are now measured in group home care, they are listed as follows: children must be protected from abuse and neglect; they must have stable living arrangements; they must have services to meet educational, physical, and mental health needs, and they must have a plan for youth to transition into adulthood.

Social Workers' Perspectives On Placement Stability, Joseph Charles Van Campen, Susan May Copple

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to obtain opinions of social workers on placement stability. Specifically the study examined social workers' opinions of present placement tools, their thoughts on alternative placement tools, and other factors that would promote placement stability for foster youth.

Transracial Adoptions: Common Challenges And Needed Resources, Jennifer Deneen Selegue, Stephanie Agnes Siringoringo

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to identify common challenges families encounter when adopting a child of a different race and/or ethnicity than themselves. When children are adopted into a family where the members do not share their same race and/or ethnicity, they have a more difficult time fitting in at school and feeling like they have a secure place in society.

Emancipated Foster Youths' Perceptions Of Their Relationships With Their Social Workers, Joni Renee Dominguez, Lakesha Lavone Spivey

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to examine emancipated foster youths' perceptions of their relationships with their social workers while in the foster care system.

Fostering Resiliency In Emancipated Foster Youth: What They Need To Transition Successfully, Olga Cherie Phillips, Maria Guadalupe Martinez

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to assess emancipated foster youths' views on challenges, resilliencies, and coping strategies associated with aging out of foster care. It seeks to identify resiliency or qualities which helped former foster youth overcome their struggles while in the child welfare system.

Social Workers' Perspectives Of Factors Affecting Re-Entry Rates, Kristina Danielle Gordon, Lengpea Yang

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this project was to investigate what factors social workers' perceive to contribute to re-entry rates of children after successful reunification with their families.

Former Foster Youths' Perceptions Of Their Life Experiences, Yodit Tesfia Zerai

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this project was to examine the perceptions of former foster youths' life experience while in foster care and after leaving the foster care system. It was also recommended for child welfare social workers to have contact with former foster youth on a regular basis and to provide services as needed even after they exited the system.

Placement Stability Of Legal Guardianship With Relative And Non-Relative Caregivers, Erin Renee Hebert

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study is to measure the stability of relative and non-relative legal guardianship placements.

Effects Of Substance Abuse Services On Child Reunification, Peter Charles Shorts

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to conduct a descriptive and inferential analysis of the effect of substance abuse treatment upon the family reunification process. The research revealed a significant relationship between the median age of custodial parents whose parental rights were terminated and the median age of parents whose parental rights were not terminated.

Achieving Permanency In The Adoptions Of Special Needs Children: What Factors Lead To Adoption Disruption?, Stephanie Frances Duran

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to look at the factors that lead to disruption in the adoption of special needs children. Families that adopt special needs children may or may not be aware that they need post adoption services and may be reluctant to ask for them even when they are experiencing difficulty.

How Independent Living Skills Services Affect The Outcomes Of Emancipated Foster Youth In Attaining Self-Sufficiency, Tracy Burks, Sandra Fernandez

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study is to highlight the services that are beneficial and highlight additional services that are needed in order to facilitate a successful transition for emancipating foster youth. This study shows how self-sufficiency in emancipating foster youth is affected by the services provided by the Independent Living Skills (ILP) program. Face-to-face interviews were completed with ILP participants as data collected source and quantitative research was conducted using surveys and focus groups to obtain firsthand information and personal experiences from former foster youth themselves.

The Causes Of Recurrence Of Maltreatment In Child Welfare, And The Impacts Of The Family Team Decision Making Initiative, Juana Lorena Gonzalez

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study is to identify causes and impacts on family when children re-enter child welfare as a result of recurrence of child maltreatment and what child welfare agencies are doing to reduce those incidences.

Social Workers' Perceptions Of The Factors Related To Reentry, Rachel Joy Burak

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to examine social workers' perspectives on which factors are associated with reentry rates for families in San Bernardino County. Social workers are able to observe families and interact personally with them; therefore social workers have unique insights regarding families' needs and attributes that a secondary analysis of administrative data would fail to provide.

Social Workers Perceptions Of Concurrent Planning, Kelsey Marie Karr, Summer Renee Randall

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to examine how social workers perceive concurrent planning at Children and Families Services of San Bernardino County. Concurrent planning is the practice of working with families to reunify while also pursuing alternative plans for permanency should reunification fail, is an integral part of child welfare.

The Experiences Of Foster Parents And How It Can Benefit Future Foster Children, Arthur Hiro Natsume

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to examine how the reported experiences of foster parents might benefit future foster parents in raising a foster child. All of the participants in the study reported that they would raise another foster child if they were young because it leads to positive outcomes.

Characteristics Of Families Who Succeed From Wraparound Services And Those Who Do Not, Jonas Caleb Nava

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to explore the characteristics of families who successfully completed wraparound services to those families who did not through the Riverside County Children's Services Division.

Contributing Factors To The Over Representation Of African American Children In The Foster Care System, Lamonica Shalice Montgomery

Theses Digitization Project

The focus of the study was the disproportionate number of African American children in the foster care system. The hypothesis stated that drug and alcohol use, and differential sentencing of incarcerated parents have lead to African American children being removed from their families more often than others. These factors also reduced the likelihood of these children returning to their families, thus keeping them in the foster care system longer than any other group of children.

The Relationship Between Kinship Support Services And Placement Outcomes, Maria De Jesus Flores, Jennifer Lau

Theses Digitization Project

This study examined the relationship between kinship support services and placement outcomes using secondary data collected by Chang and Liles (2004) in the Counties of San Bernardino and Riverside. This study aimed at assessing kinship care placement outcomes by reviewing the characteristics of kin caregivers and their dependent children, types of financial support and services received, and contact with social workers. This study sample included 130 kinship caregivers and 291 dependent children from the original study (Chang & Liles, 2007).

Impact Of Kinship Foster Care On Kinship Caregivers, Oluyemisi Mcmullen

Theses Digitization Project

The focus of this study was to investigate the impact of kinship foster care on kinship care providers in San Bernardino County. This study explored kinship caregiver's perceptions of the impact of an extended period of placement has on the kinship caregiver and their family, the financial impact of caring for the children on the kinship care provider, the stress of coping with any physical mental or emotional problems children may have, and the kinship care providers ability to cope with the demands of the child welfare system.

Emancipated Youths' Perspective On Transitioning Into Adulthood, Deann Petersen Russon

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study is to explore the perceptions of transitional aged youths' received services, such as, daily living skills, money management, self care, and social development, and look at whether these services have helped them transition into productive adults. Of the research that exists, emancipated foster youth are shown to be at a higher risk for negative outcomes than youth the same age that were not in foster care. The study collected data from youth involved in two Independent Living Programs in Riverside County.