Child Welfare and Child Well-Being New Perspectives From the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being

by Webb, Mary Bruce; Dowd, Kathryn; Harden, Brenda Jones; Landsverk, John; Testa, Mark

• ISBN13: 9780195398465
• ISBN10: 0195398467
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2009-12-31
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

The landmark National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW) study represents the first effort to gather nationally representative data, based on first-hand reports, about the well-being of children and families who encounter the child welfare system. NSCAW's findings offer anunprecedented national source of data that describe the developmental status and functional characteristics of children who come to the attention of child protective services. Much more than a simple history of placements or length of stay in foster care, NSCAW data chart the trajectory of familiesacross service pathways for a multi-dimensional view of their specific needs. The NSCAW survey is longitudinal, contains direct assessments and reports about each child from multiple sources, and is designed to address questions of relations among children's characteristics and experiences, theirdevelopment, their pathways through the child welfare service system, their service needs, their service receipt, and, ultimately, their well-being over time. The chapters in this rich synthesis of NSCAW data represent thoughtful and increasingly sophisticated approaches to the problems highlighted in the study and in child welfare research in general. The authors capitalize on the longitudinal, multidimensional data to capture the experiences of childrenand families from the time they are investigated by CPS though multiple follow-up points, and to consider the interdependent nature of the traditional child welfare outcomes of safety, permanence, and well-being. The topics covered not only are critical to child welfare practice and policy, but alsoare of compelling interest to other child service sectors such as health, mental health, education, and juvenile justice. The authors of chapters in this volume are esteemed researchers within psychology, social work, economics, and public health. Together they represent the future of child welfare research, showcasing the potential of NSCAW as a valuable resource to the research community and providing glimpses of how the data can be used to inform practice and policy.

Author Biography

Mary Bruce Webb, PhD, is Director, Division of Child and Family Development, Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Kathryn L. Dowd, PhD, is Senior Director, Centers for Survey Research, Research Triangle Institute.
Brenda Jones Harden, PhD, is Associate Professor, Institute for Child Study, Department of Human Development, University of Maryland.
John Landsverk, PhD, is Director, Child and Adolescent Services Research Center, Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego.
Mark Testa, PhD, is Associate Professor of Social Work and Director of the Children and Family Research Center, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Table of Contents

Study Design and Methods

Moving Toward a Developmental Framework in Child Welfare

Quality of the Early Caregiving Environment and Preschool Well-Being: An Examination of Children Entering the Child Welfare System During Infancy

Risk and Resilience Among Children Referred to the Child Welfare System: A Longitudinal Investigation of Child Well-Being in Multiple Domains

Latent Classification of Physical Abuse as a Predictor of Adolescent Functioning

Effects of Intimate-Partner Violence on Child Psychopathology

Child Welfare, Social Capital, and Child Well-Being

Comparative Safety, Stability, and Continuity of Children's Placements in Formal and Informal Substitute Care

The Social Capital of Youth in Foster Care: An Assessment and Policy Implications

Explaining Reunification and Reentry 3 Years After Placement in Out-of-Home Care

Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Initial Child Welfare Experience: Exploring Areas of Convergence and Divergence

The Survey Study Design and Mental Health Services Research

Patterns and Predictors of Mental Health Services Use by Children in Contact with the Child Welfare System

Exits from Out-of-Home Care and Continuity of Mental Health Service Use

Caregiver Depression, Mental Health Service Use, Child Outcomes

Organizational Climate and Service Outcomes in Child Welfare Systems

Information Management, Interagency Collaboration, and Outcomes in Child Welfare Agencies

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