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This novel follows characters from the poor, rundown town of Vacca Vale, Indiana who all live in the same building known as the Rabbit Hutch. The main character, Blandine, shares her apartment with three teenage boys, all of whom have aged out of the state foster care system that has repeatedly failed them. Gunty provides a portrayal of the challenges faced by young adults who have aged out of the foster care system without finding a “forever” family. Through the shifting perspectives and different characters in the book, the author explores mental illness, trauma, loneliness, and the necessity of human connection.

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This is a movie about a couple who decide to adopt three siblings. It portrays their journey through the foster care system and becoming a family. The movie also highlights the challenges of being in the foster care system and the emotional and psychological impact of living with neglectful parents and the trauma experienced by children in the foster care system.

This movie connects to Salman Rushdie’s belief that the power of storytelling is to challenge societal norms and provoke thought. The movie sheds light on a topic that is often overlooked or misunderstood by society - the experiences and struggles of children in foster care. Children placed in foster care often face considerable uncertainty in the permanence of their placements, which can have lasting impacts on their lives.

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The author, Tess Gunty, is from a small rundown town in Indiana, which inspired Vacca Vale in the book. Similar to the book, there were closings of large automobile factories in the town that held a lot of jobs. When the factories closed it caused many people to be jobless. The town struggled for decades to even partially recover from it. Many characters and aspects of the book come from inspiration from her childhood in Indiana.

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This book was published in 2023 and takes place in the world today. It shows how modern and common the issues expressed in the book are.

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This movie follows a janitor at a college who has an extraordinary talent for math. Despite this, the main character struggles with self-sabotage and emotional barriers due to his troubled upbringing as an abused foster child. He often finds himself struggling to keep a constant job as well as staying out of trouble. Through therapy sessions, he is able to confront his past and navigate his relationships with the people in his life.

This movie connects to Salman Rushdie’s belief that writers and artists have a responsibility to explore uncomfortable truths and use their creativity to critique the world around them. It sheds light on the challenges and struggles faced by individuals who have experienced abuse and neglect early in their lives. The movie explores the complex emotions and psychological scars that can result from a traumatic childhood.

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"A Suitcase and a Dream: My True Story from Foster to Prosper" by Brittney Sherell (2019)

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"A Suitcase and a Dream: My True Story from Foster to Prosper" by Brittney Sherell (2019)

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This is a memoir by Britteny Sherell that follows her journey from the foster care system to a successful life. The book provides a first-hand account of the challenges and triumphs experienced by those in foster care. She talks about how she developed anger and trust issues, PTSD, and even attempted to take her own life. By reading this book, the author can gain a deeper understanding of the foster care experience and the impact it has on individuals as they strive to build a better future for themselves. Salman Rushdie believes that a writer has the responsibility to tell the truth as they see it. And that is exactly what Sherell did in her memoir as she uses the power of truth-telling through her own experiences and journey.

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"One for the Murphys" by Lynda Mullaly Hunt (2012)

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"One for the Murphys" by Lynda Mullaly Hunt (2012)

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This book follows a 12-year-old girl who is put into foster care after a traumatic incident with her stepfather. Initially, in her foster family, she struggles with feeling betrayed by her mother and resists the family's affection. The book follows her journey as she learns to open up to love and support. The book explores similar themes to "The Rabbit Hutch" such as belonging and human connection. It also communicates the mental and emotional challenges faced by foster children.

This book connects to Salman Rushdie’s belief that storytelling can reveal truths that sometimes journalism and nonfiction can’t. This connects because it delves into the personal experiences and emotions of a young girl navigating through the complexities of foster care, offering a unique perspective that goes beyond mere factual reporting.

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Read 3,229 reviews from the world's largest community for readers. Twelve-year-old Carley Connors can take a lot. Growing up in Las Vegas with her fun-lovi...

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This book follows a 17-year-old girl who is about to age out of the foster care system. She has bounced around 20 homes throughout her life. The book explores the main character's emotional journey and her struggle to form connections with others.

This book connects to Salman Rushdie's belief that literature is a gateway to exploring more complex and deeper truths about society and social issues. The book communicates the struggles faced by teenagers in foster care, as well as their strength and resilience in navigating a system that often fails them. The book sheds light on the complex system of foster care, which often goes unnoticed or misunderstood.

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Read 1,022 reviews from the world's largest community for readers. For readers of Robin Benway's Far From the Tree, a powerful and heartwarming look at a t...

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This movie tells the story of a girl who is very intelligent and develops special mental abilities. She is neglected by her family, therefore she is very lonely and feels misunderstood. As the story progresses, Matilda finds solace and empowerment in books, which allows her to escape her challenging circumstances. This emphasizes the importance of providing a nurturing environment for children as well as the power of education. At her school, she forms a connection with her teacher who takes her under her wing and gives her the love and human connection Matilda desired and needed.

This movie connects to Salman Rushdie’s belief that the author has the responsibility to enlighten the audience and help them acknowledge issues in society. This connects because Matilda lives in a neglectful home and the movie highlights the proper care and support that children need.

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Tess Gunty's Intent for "The Rabbit Hutch"

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Tess Gunty's Intent for "The Rabbit Hutch"

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“In The Rabbit Hutch, I wanted to resist the American ethos of rugged individualism that positions material accumulation as the purpose of life and instead push toward something collective, choral, and remedial.”

Tess Gunty, The Hindustan Times

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My interpretation of the themes in the book

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My interpretation of the themes in the book

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I thought the author's intent/message was to show the emotional trauma foster children experience as well as their desperate need to transition to normal adulthood. Gunty also touches on how the trauma they experienced during their childhood, affects their mental health and ability to form healthy relationships. The novel helps to highlight the need for better support for former/current foster children as well as the lack of help they receive from our society today.

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This article discusses the challenges faced by teenagers in foster care as they transition into adulthood. The article emphasizes the difficulties faced by those young adults, such as homelessness, unemployment, substance abuse, and lack of education. The article also discusses the need for support and resources to help them transition out of foster care and succeed in their future.

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Approximately 24,000 American teenagers in foster care turn 18 years old each year. Many still in high school, these teens find themselves in need of jobs, a place to live, and a means of transportation to survive.

National studies have shown that within two to four years of leaving foster care at age 18:

40% were homeless

40% were receiving public assistance or were incarcerated

40% experienced drug or alcohol abuse

46% had not finished high school

51% were unemployed

84% became parents

It's these shocking numbers that drive Forever Family to continue to, not only help children get adopted by loving families, but also to shine a light on youth that age out of the foster system without a loving family.

Without the love and support of a family to fall back on, many teens who aged out of foster care find themselves struggling to succeed on their own. However, there are multiple ways you can help these young adults:

Purchase graduation gifts and items to help set up their first homes

Become a mentor

Provide employment opportunities

Donate vehicles

Provide low-cost housing

Donate funds to help with emergency needs

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Aging Out Of Foster Care - Forever Family

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Approximately 24,000 American teenagers in foster care turn 18 years old each year. Many still in high school, these teens find themselves in need of jobs, a place to live, and a means of transportation to survive.

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CT Pushes Increased Support For Youth Transitioning Out of Foster Care

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CT Pushes Increased Support For Youth Transitioning Out of Foster Care

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This article discusses challenges faced by teenagers transitioning out of foster care, specifically in Connecticut, and the efforts by the state government to increase support for them. The article mentions new processes and legislation that extend efforts to support those who were formerly in foster care. The article also talks about the importance of planning for these young adults before they turn 18 as well as emphasizes the need for continued support as they transition into adulthood.

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When he turned 18 and decided to go to college to become a social worker, Christian Ripke knew that his biological family wouldn't be able to help him pay expenses.

Ripke, who will be a junior at Fordham University in the fall, has been in foster care since he was in high school and is a member of the Department of Children and Families' Youth Advisory Board.Hedecided to stay in the foster care system to take advantage of the resources offered by the state.

Advocates and state officials in Connecticut have worked to keep young adults like Ripke engaged so they can continue to access state-sponsored services such as tuition aid, monthly cash stipends, housing assistance and case management past their 18th birthdays.

But even with the assistance, Ripke has worked long hours as a barista, sometimes skipping tutoring or group study sessions. He's been denied for housing 11 times because of difficulties finding landlords who will work with the housing assistance. Now, he's advocating for changes to state policy that could help him and his peers stay in school, such as more cash assistance to help pay bills each month or more time to access services including housing aid and case management.

"I feel like we're pretty much forced to be employed, to juggle both," Ripke said.

Young adults can opt to stay in the foster care system until they're 23. Youths can still receive certain services up to age 21 and some funding for college education until they're 23.

A couple of bills introduced this legislative session seek to address some of the issues Ripke says he and his peers face, including one that would increase the age for young adults to apply for and receive postsecondary education funding.

Advocates have also introduced additional programs and pushed for change at the state level. And the Department of Children and Families has introduced a new piece of case planning that centers the voices of foster youths.

Still, advocates say more needs to be done. The kids who are transitioning from care often need help with housing, planning for school and figuring out a career. They're also at increased risk of homelessness, a problem that's been exacerbated by a lack of housing.

"It's rough out there," said Linda Dixon, DCF's administrator of transitional supports and success. "The rents are skyrocketing. It has hit our young adults hard."

Older teenagers who are aging out of care may not have an adult in their lives who can help them navigate getting an apartment or applying to college or a first job. If they leave the foster care system, they also risk losing access to case workers, housing and other services.

"Youth are entitled to quite a bit if they age out of foster care and stay on with DCF on a voluntary basis," said Stacy Schleif, director of the Child Welfare Advocacy Project at the Center for Children's Advocacy. "The one most talked about is help paying for college, help paying for housing."

But those programs aren't always implemented smoothly, Schleif added. Sometimes DCF workers don't know about all the programs or don't make referrals, meaning the help is delayed in getting to kids.

It's also tough to keep the foster youths engaged. Some may want to leave the system because of trauma or to go back to living with their biological families, said Lauren Ruth, a research and policy fellow at Connecticut Voices for Children.

"A lot of kids develop a survival mindset that they use in foster homes," Ripke said.

Falling numbers

About 42% of Connecticut's foster care population is over 18, well above the national average of 24%, according to 2021 data included in a new report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. The Baltimore-based group conducts research and advocates for policies about outcomes for kids.

Overall, fewer older teenagers and young adults are in foster care than in past years nationally, a trend that accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic as less contact with adults outside the home meant fewer calls to child protective services nationwide, according to the May 8 report from Annie E. Casey.

Some of that drop could also be due to increased efforts to keep families together and shorten stays in foster care. The report says that more research is needed to understand which specific policies are helping.

As the number of kids in foster care falls, Dixon said that likely means that the needs of youths who stay in care for long periods of time are more complicated.

"What that means to me is the youth who are staying with us are more complex than ever before," she said.

Advocates said the complicated needs and array of programs mean that kids need more help navigating the system.

"I think there are a lot of really cool things available for young people of transition age, but the flow of information is really hard to navigate," Ruth said.

Schleif said she's seen fewer instances of youth receiving discharge notices and that there's more awareness in the state their needs are complex - and that their futures need to be thought about in advance.

"Ideally, the planning should start before they turn 18," she said. "Once they're 18, they're generally pretty close to graduating high school."

In 2020, the federal government instituted a temporary ban on youths aging out of foster care. Any young people who wanted to stay in the system could. Advocates feared there would be a wave of people aging out when the restriction was lifted in September 2021.

But that wave never came in Connecticut.

The state Department of Children and Families developed a plan to help slowly transition youths out of care, including implementing a new tool termed the "Omega Process" that's designed to get teenagers more involved in their case planning.

Omega stands for Outcome Mapping for Emerging Adults, and youths fill out an assessment and identify goals and expectations for their care team.

Emergency money also went to youths to help with things like rent or security deposits, Dixon said.

"In Connecticut, we do very well, at least percentage-wise, with youth staying in post-18," Dixon said. "We offer strong supports for young adults, so when the moratorium ended, we expected to have 100 youth suddenly and abruptly leave us, and that just didn't happen."

Stipends

This legislative session has seen at least one bill that aims to help former foster care youths go to college - House Bill 6563. The bill would allow former foster children to apply for funding for postsecondary education until age 26, up from 21. It would also allow them to keep getting funds once they've applied until age 28.

It would also establish a pilot program to offer more money to former foster youths who go to college. Ripke said he receives about $550 a month from the department now that he's living off campus. When he was on campus, it was about $265 a month.

The department has additional assistance for housing and medical bills, but it's tough to make ends meet, Ripke said.

"Yes, they support us. Yes, they provide some sort of help, but it's not enough. It's a very partial solution," Ripke said.

Ripke goes to school in New York but is from Connecticut and has an open DCF case in the state. He has struggled to find an apartment on his own, now that his roommates have decided to study abroad. Many landlords didn't want to wade through the extra paperwork or wait the additional time it takes to get the department's housing assistance approved, Ripke said.

The bill supported by Ripke and other youth transitioning out of care passed through the Committee on Higher Education and Employment Advancement and the Committee on Children earlier in the session but did not get a vote in the Appropriations Committee.

But another bill - Senate Bill 2 - deals with a number of issues related to the well-being of children and extends public defender services for youths who are involved in the foster care system to young adults up to age 23. Public defenders help youths in the foster care system get services they're entitled to, navigate legal documents involved with the system and counsel them on legal remedies to any problems they may face.Existing law ends those services at 18, according to bill documents.

That bill has passed the House and Senate. It next heads to Gov. Ned Lamont's desk for his signature.

Mentoring

Nonprofit Children in Placement is among the groups that's working to make the transition out of care easier for foster kids.

They've started a mentoring program that pairs a community volunteer with a young person, often years before the child turns 18.

"Our goal is to support youths throughout all the ages, particularly for kids who are aging out," said Shanda Easley, Willimantic/Waterford regional manager at Children in Placement. "This is a long-term mentoring program."

Mentors talk with kids about their life goals, help them navigate job or apartment applications and give them advice. It's a small but growing program, Easley said.

The COVID-19 pandemic slowed growth, but they're looking for more mentors, Easley added. Mentors are trained in child development, trauma and safety rules.

Janet Freimuth, executive director at the nonprofit, said she is one of the mentors and has helped her mentees with several issues including housing, figuring out what information to put on a W-2, and how to manage familial relationships.

"If they're in a foster care home, they've already been abandoned in one way or another ... that's the youth that we're looking at," Freimuth said.

DCF programs

The state also has a new system that started in 2021 called the Omega Process that aims to have youths lead their care planning, Dixon said.

The idea is to gather several people involved in a youth's care to talk about goals. The youth is supposed to co-facilitate meetings, set goals and tell their care team what support they need. Care meetings happen regularly as kids get older, Dixon said.

"It's just an ongoing conversation, and it gets more amplified as they get closer [to transitioning out of care]," she added.

But Ripke said this wasn't his experience. He said it was a "very structured" meeting with him, his case worker and a case reviewer.

"We want to be heard, and we want to be taken seriously, and that's just not been our experience," he said.

The department is also focusing its efforts on developing a program geared toward helping youth who are in detention facilities.

The legislature passed a law in 2021 to create a team to oversee these youths' education, and it's getting off the ground.

Glen Worthy, the team's leader, said results aren't evident yet because they've only been working for a few months. They're talking with schools about credit recovery to get teenagers caught up for graduation and pushing for expanded vocational training, he said.

He'd like to see vocational training tied to particular companies so youths can get jobs right after graduating, he said.

"We are just talking to folks and trying to plan it all out," he said. "That's where we are now."

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Ginny MonkHousing and Children's Issues Reporter

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CT pushes for more support for kids aging out of foster care

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As kids age out of the foster care system, they may need help getting a job, education or housing. Advocates say more should be done.

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Mental and Behavioral Health Needs of Children in Foster Care

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Mental and Behavioral Health Needs of Children in Foster Care

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This article emphasizes that mental and behavioral health is the greatest health need for children and teens in foster care. It highlights the challenges in accessing mental health care, the impact of the transitions in-home placement, and the need for regular assessments of mental health status during the child’s time in foster care.

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Mental and Behavioral Health Needs of Children in Foster Care

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Learn more about the topics that relate to the mental and behavioral health of children and teens in foster care.

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Young Adults Formerly in Foster Care: Challenges and Solutions

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Young Adults Formerly in Foster Care: Challenges and Solutions

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This article discusses the challenges faced by young adults who have aged out of the foster care system. It emphasizes that they often lack self-esteem and self-efficient skills because of their life experiences, which can include abuse, neglect, multiple foster home placements, and disruptions in education. These challenges can lead to mental illness, substance abuse problems, and other effects that may impact their emotional and social development as they transition into adulthood.

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Youth who are transitioning to adulthood need to have well developed self-esteem and self-efficacy skills that equip them to manage relationships in multiple contexts, including education and employment settings, as well as with friends and family members. Often, youth in the foster care system have lived through multiple traumas and disruptive events by the time they begin their transition to adulthood. This can include abuse and/or neglect, multiple foster home placements, lack of continuity in education, and an array of losses of relationships (e.g., friends, family, and/or siblings). Their life experiences can create additional problems resulting in mental illness, substance abuse problems, and a lack of confidence. These challenges impact the emotional and social development of foster care youth as they transition into adulthood.

Research on the developing brains of adolescents and young adults points to the importance of understanding the "vulnerability of teens, and the significance of this stage" and highlights the importance of positive, supportive relationships in the context of the continuing development of the adolescent brain. Ideally, foster youth should have a place to call home upon emancipation from the child welfare system, with connections to caring adults who can provide support, including helping them access necessary resources and services. Research suggests that youth in foster care who have natural during adolescence have improved young adult outcomes. Connections to non-parental adults through informal mentoring is reported to enhance the outcomes of foster care youth in education/employment, psychological well-being, and physical health. Youth who had the support of a mentor also demonstrated a decreased participation in unhealthy behaviors, such as unprotected sexual activity, alcohol and substance abuse, and delinquent activities.

When youth "age out" of the child welfare system with limited connections or without the support of positive, caring adults, they may have an increased risk of facing the following challenges:

Unstable housing or homelessness. Former foster care youth are half as likely to pay a mortgage or rent compared to their peers. Studies show a correlation between a history of foster care and homelessness as well as the impact of emancipation from state care on young adults. More than one-fifth of foster care youth experience homelessness for at least one day within a year of emancipation.

The demographics of homeless youth point to special concerns for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) young adults, who represent between five and ten percent of youth in foster care (consistent with representation of LGBTQ youth in the general population). Although studies on the percentage of homeless youth who are LGBT vary, analyses suggest that approximately 20 to 40 percent of these youth identify as a sexual or gender minority. Current studies, as well as anecdotal evidence from social service professionals, suggest that LGBT youth are significantly overrepresented in homeless populations compared to their proportion of the U.S. population.

Further, LGBTQ youth, who may already be disproportionately represented in the homeless population, are disproportionately youth of color. The National Alliance to End Homelessness cites the critical role of youth services professionals who have the skills and proficiencies to support youth from multiple cultures.

Learn more about runaway and homelessness among youth, including those in and aging out of the child welfare system.

Lack of adequate elementary and secondary education. Youth emancipating from foster care typically face many obstacles during their educational journeys, obstacles that can hinder their ability to graduate on time or receive a high school diploma. Prior to child welfare involvement, youth may have missed many days or even months of school due to residential movement by the biological family because of eviction, homelessness, or other issues. While in foster care, despite federal protections to ensure school stability, they may have had multiple placements that resulted in multiple school changes. Research has shown that students in foster care score 16 to 20 percentile points below their peers in state standardized testing and that fewer than 60 percent graduate from high school. Only three percent of children who have been in foster care go on to postsecondary education.

Lack of employment and job training. Former foster care youth may have limited work histories and on-the-job training opportunities. Many lack the skills required to hold a steady job, or the incentive and academic preparation to attend a college or training program. Youth who do obtain employment may find only jobs with lower paying wages, which makes them vulnerable to poverty, and the inability to establish complete independence.

Problems with physical health, behavioral health, and general well-being. Twenty-five percent of 19-year-old former foster care youth reported a higher incidence of health problems than non-foster care youth in a comparison study, including hospitalization due to illness, accident, injury, drug use, or emotional problems. The same study found that one-third of former foster care youth had mental health disorders including depression, dysthymia, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), social phobia, alcohol abuse, alcohol dependence, substance abuse, or substance dependence.

Lack of access to health care. Some states offer Medicaid for youth until 21 years of age, but others may terminate eligibility for Medicaid and other forms of public assistance earlier, causing youth to lose access to physical and mental health care after they emancipate and no longer receive services and supports from the child welfare system. ( See a listing of each state's children's Medicaid plan.)

Justice system involvement. Youth in foster care who have a history of abuse and/or neglect are at a heightened risk for early onset of delinquency. Youth emancipating from foster care may be at greater risk of becoming involved with the criminal justice system due to lack of support networks, low employment skills, and unstable living arrangements. A study of 100 former foster care youth found that, after they had been on their own for six months, 45 percent had been in trouble with law enforcement, 41 percent had spent time in jail, 26 percent were involved in the court system (with formal charges filed), and 7 percent were incarcerated.

Lack of social connections. Permanent relationships with positive adults are a powerful protective factor against negative outcomes and can provide critical support to youth as they transition to adulthood. Youth in foster care often rely on adults who have provided professional supports through their roles in the child welfare system. Although an emancipating youth may desire autonomy from adult supervision, the transition is more successful when he or she has a strong connection to a trusted adult supporter. Establishing this relationship prior to emancipation is important, albeit not easy, given that many youth have had turbulent experiences with adults in the past.

¹ HHS, 2011b
² National Institute of Mental Health, 2011, p. 3
³ Ahrens, DuBois, & Richardson, 2008
⁴ Courtney et al., 2005
⁵ U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2008
⁶ Casey Family Programs, 2005
⁷ National Alliance to End Homelessness, 2007
⁸ Ray, 2006
9, 10 National Alliance to End Homelessness, 2007
¹¹ National Working Group on Foster Care, 2008
¹² Lenz-Rashid, 2004
¹³ Courtney et al., 2005
¹⁴ Sudol, 2009
¹⁵ Reilly, 2003

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Young Adults Formerly in Foster Care: Challenges and Solutions

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Youth who are transitioning to adulthood need to have well developed self-esteem and self-efficacy skills that equip them to manage relationships in multiple contexts, including education and employment settings, as well as with friends and family members. Often, youth in the foster care system have lived through multiple traumas and disruptive events by the time they begin their transition to adulthood.

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How Can We Improve Placement Stability for Children in Foster Care?

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How Can We Improve Placement Stability for Children in Foster Care?

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This article discusses ways that foster care can improve and efforts made to continue to improve the system. Specifically, it talks about how to improve placement stability for children. It outlines several approaches, like keeping children with family and providing support and resources.

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Placement into foster care is a significant and traumatic experience in the life of a child. When a child protection agency makes the life-altering decision to separate a child from their parents, the agency must ensure that it is the best and only intervention to keep children safe from harm. ¹

The initial safety and placement decisions that child protection agencies make have long-term impacts on a child's future. The highest risk for placement disruption is within the first two months, suggesting a need for intensive supports during that time. ² First and foremost, children deserve to be placed with kin (relatives by blood or marriage, or other people identified by the family as "chosen" kin). Numerous studies have established the benefits of kinship care, including greater placement stability. If that is not possible, a child's first placement should be in a stable, caring family that leads to a timely return home or other form of permanency. The values embedded in the Indian Child Welfare Act reflect child welfare best practices for all and underscore the importance of family, culture, and placement stability.

Strategies exist to help minimize the the trauma of placement moves . This brief, designed to highlight promising approaches that can have a positive impact on placement stability, is a companion brief to one that explores importance of placement stability.

Strategies to improve placement stability

Child protection agencies have implemented a number of strategies to improve placement stability for children in foster care. Some common approachesinclude: enhancing services for children in foster care, placement matching (including placing children with kin), improving the recruitment and retention of resource caregivers, and providing supports for resource caregivers. In many cases, these overlap with strategies that improve time to permanency; that is, attending to permanency can also improve placement stability. Key strategies are detailed in the sections below.

Prioritize placement with kin

Research on kinship care has found that the behavior, mental health, and well-being of children placed with kin is better than that of children placed in non-relative foster care, and that children placed with relatives experience more placement stability. 4.5,6,7,8 As a result, many agencies have taken steps to advance a kin-first culture , implementing to restrict non-relative placements and modifying caseworker decision-making practices to prioritize routine placement with kin. Agencies have also created dedicated kinship support staff and family finding units to help locate and engage relatives and chosen kin for both emergency and planned placements. A small study in California found that family search and engagement (FSE) connected 76% of the participating youth with a permanent relationship.

Support kin placements and connections

Finding kin and placing children with them is important but not sufficient; kin caregivers must also be supported -through assistance with licensing, financial supports, social supports, and trainings. which provide resources, information and support, can increase placement stability. ⁹

Even if children are not placed with kin, providing opportunities for them to maintain and strengthen relationships with relatives may help increase placement stability. A study in Illinois found that children who had at least one identified loving and supportive family member experienced 16% fewer placement changes, controlling for risk behaviors, traumatic stress symptoms, and emotional/behavioral needs. ¹⁰

Keep siblings together

Being placed with siblings can also improve placement stability. One study found that children placed with a sibling in kinship care were 77% less likely to experience a placement change compared to children placed without their sibling in non-relative care. Being placed with a sibling in non-relative care was also protective: those children were 38% less likely than those placed without their sibling to experience a placement change. ¹¹ In cases where placement with siblings is not possible or appropriate, supporting strong connections with siblings and other family members is critical.

Prioritize youth voice

Though studies have not focused specifically on the impact of youth voice on placement stability, a large body of research underscores the importance of meaningfully involving and empowering young people in case planning rather than viewing them as service recipients. ¹² Children and youth are experts on their own situations and their preferences should be considered in decisions related to placement and permanency.Youth advocates from California Youth Connection (CYC) are working to create a youth-centered process for placement stability within the foster care system, in the context of a state law aimed at limiting placement changes .

Rimy Morris, alumnus of foster care and past member of the Indiana Youth Advisory Board, described the importance of allowing young people to have a voice in decisions about their placements. "Once I had a meeting about a new placement ahead of time, but I think it was so that I felt like I had a choice because my stuff was literally already in the trunk of my worker's car." She sensed immediately it was not going to work out: "I'm LGBTQ+ and I often got placed with really religious families. That doesn't mean it can't work, but this one was really hateful about it. I thought the meeting was going well, but then her other foster daughter said, 'she wants to know if you're gay.' I told the worker it wasn't going to work, but they didn't believe me. I lived in that home for two weeks until I was muffed. She pushed me. The police were called, and I had to pack my bags that night. We could've avoided that whole thing if they had just asked me. Just listened to me."

Determine the best fit

If kin placement is not feasible, several tools and methods are available to help child protection agencies find the best placement to meet a child's needs and minimize subsequent placement moves. Assessment tools and decision-making supports for informing swift and optimal placements include Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths , Treatment Outcomes Package and the Structured Decision Making (SDM®) Model in Child Protection .

Every Child a Priority (ECAP) matches children and resource families using a series of algorithms that combine preference and availability. Research on ECAP indicates that it increases placement stability and decreases time to permanency. Results from one study indicate that using a meeting process and facilitation for service planning that is consistent with team decision-making principles resulted in collaborative planning processes that may also promote placement stability. ¹³

Matching children with resource caregivers from the same cultural or racial background can also increase placement stability. ¹⁴ The Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) specifically calls for American Indian/Alaska Native children in foster care to remain connected to their extended family, tribe, and culture. The values and spirit embedded in ICWA form the basis of child welfare best practice for all and reinforce placement stability as a goal. When children are placed in families from different backgrounds, resource families should be supported in being culturally aware.

Nurture family time

on the benefits of contact between parents and children in out-of-home care is limited, but suggests that well-planned, intentional contact with birth family members, or family time , can promote placement stability and successful reunification. Foster care alumnus Morris emphasizes that better supporting youth in their placement means also supporting and engaging their parents. "Workers don't play a big enough bridge between biological parents and foster/kin parents. My foster parents didn't speak with my mom, and I felt like I had to choose one or the other."

Address children's behavioral health needs

The trauma of system involvement and placement instability can lead to or exacerbate mental health problems, 15,16 and children's unmet physical and mental health needs have been linked to placement instability. 17,18 A study in Illinois found that 39% of caseworkers and 45% of resource caregivers said that their inability to meet children's behavioral needs was the first or second most significant reason for placement disruption. High-quality, timely behavioral health supports and services should be available to children and their caregivers throughout the placement process, including wraparound services , in-home and community-based therapy, and mobile crisis response , all of which should be trauma-informed and healing centered . Formal integration between child welfare and behavioral health agencies also improves placement stability for youth involved with both service systems, ¹⁹ by reducing administrative barriers and facilitating communication between caseworkers and counselors. All too often, placement changes are blamed on youth, when in reality, service fragmentation, inadequate access, and other systemic factors are at play.

Train and support resource caregivers

Several evidence-informed programs support resource caregivers in addressing the risks associated with placement disruption. The Treatment Foster Care Oregon (TFCO) practice model (formerly known as Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care) has been shown to significantly increase placement success and decrease the number of placement moves among children and youth with mental health issues who are in foster care. 20,21 Keeping Foster and Kin Parents Supported and Trained (KEEP) , which trains resource caregivers to address challenging behaviors and help children decrease problem behaviors, has also been shown to increase placement stability. 22,23

Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-Up (ABC) teaches caregivers of young children who have experienced adversity how to nurture children and provide safe, stable environments. Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) can be used in the context of foster care for young children with emotional and behavioral challenges. PCIT has been shown to reduce the risk of child physical abuse, ²⁴ reduce caregiver stress, ²⁵ and increase caregiver tolerance of child behavior problems. ²⁶

Parent-Child Care (PC-CARE) , a dyadic intervention for children who have experienced trauma, are experiencing difficulties with their caregiver, or are adjusting to a new home, has been shown to decrease placement instability for young children ages 1 to 5 in foster care. ²⁷ An exploratory study of Trauma Systems Therapy for Foster Care (TST-FC), a systemwide training which focuses on training resource caregivers, found that placement stability increased among children whose parents had received TST-FC training. ²⁸

Offer ongoing resource caregiver support

Studies have also shown that embedding the resource family within a broader network of social support is associated with fewer placement disruptions 29,30 and resource caregivers who have social support are more confident and satisfied as resource caregivers. ³¹ As a result, agencies have taken steps to develop and implement resource caregiver buddy systems, peer support groups, help lines, and mentoring programs.

Providing ongoing support services, such as case management support, counseling, and support groups can bolster resource caregiver resilience and minimize burnout. ³² Concrete resources, such as rent/utility assistance, funds for materials (clothing, bedding), or child care assistance, can also decrease placement instability. 33,34

Agencies can also support resource caregivers by simplifying policies and procedures and minimizing paperwork. Resource parent Marquetta King notes, "I know many foster parents who have experienced burnout not only due to the daily grind of parenting a child with behavioral and mental health issues, but also the undue burdens placed on them by bureaucratic policies and procedures."

Strengthen the workforce

Pre-service and ongoing training can help caseworkers and others who interact with youth and families understand why children experience multiple placement moves and what can be done to prevent placement instability. Training can also emphasize the importance of creating a plan for placement and permanency upfront, rather than during a crisis, given the benefits of more intentional partnerships with parents, better assessments of children's needs, better service plans, and, most importantly, better placements.

Casework teaming can also help support retention and placement stability. In this model of casework practice, staff share responsibility for supporting children and families. Teaming can offer resource families a larger network of trusting relationships bolstered by more frequent communication and a focus on developing creative solutions. New York's for teaming in child welfare can be a helpful resource.

Reducing caseworker turnover , which disrupts the continuity of relationships and exposes children to risk factors associated with placement instability, is also important. King notes, "I have had several children in foster care say that it would be a waste of time to get to know another caseworker because 'they'll eventually leave.'" Staff continuity enables caseworkers and other providers to build rapport with children, families, and resource caregivers; track the experiences of children and caregivers as they adjust to new placements; and make informed decisions about services and case planning. To promote caseworker retention , agencies have sought to provide flexible scheduling, telecommuting options, opportunities for professional development and recognition, reasonable caseloads and workloads, and to improve organizational climate and culture.

1 Content of this brief was informed by consultation with members of the Knowledge Management Lived Experience Advisory Team on December 12, 2022, and January 6, 2023. This team includes youth, parents, kinship caregivers, and foster parents with lived expertise of the child welfare system who serve as strategic partners with Family Voices United, a collaboration between FosterClub, Generations United, the Children's Trust Fund Alliance, and Casey Family Programs. Members who contributed to this brief include: Matthew Darnall, Marquetta King, Aleks Kort, Rimy Morris, and Lisa Myles.https://doi.org/10.1007/s10560-022-00831-xttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2018.05.021
2 Font, S. A., Sattler, K. M. P., & Gershoff, E. T. (2018). Measurement and correlates of foster care placement moves. Children and Youth Services Review, 91, 248-258. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2018.06.019
3 Blakey, J.M., Leathers, S.J., Lawler, M., Washington, T., Natschke, C., Strand, T. & Walton, Q. (2012). A review of how states are addressing placement stability. Children & Youth Services Review, 34, 369-378.
4 Bell, T., & Romano, E. (2017). Permanency and safety among children in foster family and kinship care: A scoping review. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524838015611673
5 Osborne, J., Hindt, L. A., Lutz, N., Hodgkinson, N., & Leon, S. C. (2021). Placement stability among children in kinship and non-kinship foster placements across multiple placements. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2021.106000
6 Rock, S., Michelson, D., Thomson, S., & Day, C. (2015). Understanding foster placement instability for looked after children: A systematic review and narrative synthesis of quantitative and qualitative evidence. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bct084 https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD006546.pub3
8 Winokur, M. A., Holtan, A., & Batchelder, K. E. (2018). Systematic review of kinship care effects on safety, permanency, and well-being outcomes. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049731515620843
9 Littlewood, K., Cooper, L., & Pandey, A. (2020). Safety and placement stability for the Children's Home Network kinship navigator program. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2020.104506
10 Summersett-Ringgold, F., Jordan, N., Kisiel, C., Sax, R. M., & McClelland, G. (2018). Child strengths and placement stability among racial/ethnic minority youth in the child welfare system. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2017.09.014
11 Waid, J., Kothari, B. H., Bank, L., & McBeath, B. (2016). Foster care placement change: The role of family dynamics and household composition. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2016.06.024
12 Mukhopadhyay, S. Dickerson, K. L., Lyon, T. D., & Quas, J. A. (2022). Foster youth's placement preferences: The roles of kin, siblings, and age. Child Abuse & Neglect, 131.
7 Winokur, M., Holtan, A., & Batchelder, K. E. (2014). Kinship care for the safety, permanency, and well-being of children removed from the home for maltreatment. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105705
14 LaBrenz, C. A., Kim, J., Harris, M. S., Crutchfield, J., Choi, M., Robinson, E. D., Findley, E., & Ryan, S. D. (2022). Racial matching in foster care placements and subsequent placement stability: A national study.
15 Engler, A. D., Sarpong, K. O., Van Horne, B. S., Greeley, C. S., & Keefe, R. J. (2022). A systematic review of mental health disorders of children in foster care. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 18(3), 268-286. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524838020941197
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18 Leathers, S. J., Spielfogel, J. E., Geiger, J., Barnett, J., & Vande Voort, B. L. (2019). Placement disruption in foster care: Children's behavior, foster parent support, and parenting experiences. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2019.03.012
19 Wells, R., & Chuang, E. (2012). Does formal integration between child welfare and behavioral health agencies result in improved placement stability for adolescents engaged with both systems? Children and Youth Services Review, 126, 106000. British Journal of Social Work, 45(1), 177-203. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2678807/
21 Fisher, P. A., Burraston, B., & Pears, K. (2005). The early intervention foster care program: Permanent placement outcomes from a randomized trial. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/The-Early-Intervention-Foster-Care-Program%3A-From-a-Fisher-Burraston/8dd0468d0467d85d439a46c7f49fdeb9d74110af?p2df
22 Greeno, E. J., Uretsky, M. C., Lee, B. R., Moore, J. E., Barth, R. P., & Shaw, T. V. (2016). Replication of the KEEP foster and kinship parent training program for youth with externalizing behaviors. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2015.12.003
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24 Chaffin, M., Silovsky, J. F., Funderburk, B., Valle, L. A., Brestan, E. V., Balachova, T., Jackson, S., Lensgraf, J., & Bonner, B. (2004). Parent-child interaction therapy with physically abusive parents: Efficacy for reducing future abuse reports. Research on Social Work Practice, 28(1), 19-32. Child Abuse & Neglect, 106, 4506. Child Abuse & Neglect, 76, 561-572. Children and Youth Services Review, 68, 44-50.
13 Leathers, S. J., Diamant-Wilson, R., Spielfogel, J. E., Annes, L., Thomas, A., & Garrett-Wilson, S. (2021). Team decision-making service planning for children and adolescents at risk for placement instability: Fidelity and initial outcomes. Children and Youth Services Review, 120, 105705. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105614
28 Bartlett, J. D., & Rushovich, B. (2018). Implementation of Trauma Systems Therapy-Foster Care in child welfare.
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32 Vanderwill, L. A., Salazar, A. M., Jenkins, G., Larwelle, J., McMahon, A. K., Day, A., & Haggerty, K. (2021). Systematic literature review of foster and adoptive caregiver factors for increasing placement stability and permanency. https://doi.org/10.1080/15548732.2020.1760176
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How can we improve placement stability for children in foster care?

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Explore the promising approaches that have demonstrated a positive impact in improving placement stability.

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Thea Fleury - Individual Curation Project Works Cited