Highlights of a Quebec Study on the Predicting Factors Relating to the Family Reunification of Adolescents Placed in Foster Care. Marie-Claude Simard, Ph.D Candidate, McGill University/ Université de Montréal Marie-Andrée Poirier, Ph.D, professor, School of Social Work, Université de Montreal Carol Cumming-Speirs, professor, School of Social Work, McGill University Nico Trocmé, Ph.D, Research center on children and their families, McGill University © Positive Futures: 2006 ACWA Conference incorporating the 7 th International Looking after Children conference Sydney, August 15th 2006

Agenda Family reunification -Definition of FR -Evolution of the concept -Statistics -Relevance Objective of the study Methodology A few findings –Description of the youth in the sample –Predicting factors Thoughts and reflections

Family reunification A planned process of reconnecting children in out- of-home care with their families. Goal: to achieve and maintain an optimal level of reconnection which affirms the child’s membership in the family. Levels of reconnection: full re-entry, partial contacts, visits, relationship with the community.

Evolution of the concept Physical return of the foster child into their birth family «Optimal reconnection» of the foster child with the birth family. Political systems, programs and services created to reunite foster children with the birth family.

Statistics Data on foster care in Quebec*: foster children on the 31st of March 2005, of which between 25% and 30% were in a residential resource children left foster care -Approximately children have been in foster care, of which were adolescents. Data on family reunification: -50% to 87% of foster children are reunited with their birth family. -20% to 40% of children return again to foster care. * Government of Quebec (2005). Données opérationnelles État de la situation au 31 mars 2005 dans les Centres jeunesse du Québec. Québec : Ministère de la santé et des services sociaux.

Foster Care foster children * Government of Quebec (2005). Données opérationnelles État de la situation au 31 mars 2005 dans les Centres jeunesse du Québec. Québec : Ministère de la santé et des services sociaux.

Relevance of studying family reunification Approximately children leave foster care –Return to the birth family is the objective of the majority of placements. –The decision to return a child to the birth family and the preparation of the return are not systematically assessed or pre-planned. (Groupe provincial de réflexion sur le placement, 2002) Adolescents represent about half of foster children No studies have been done in Quebec

Objectives of the study 1)Define the characteristics of reunited and non-reunited adolescents in a descriptive way. 2)Explore and identify the principal factors associated with family reunification. 3)Develop a model of factors which predict family reunification of an adolescent at the end of placement.

Methodology Study of files –51 files of reunited foster youth –51 files of non-reunited foster youth Selection criteria of the sample –Boys and girls, aged 12 to 18 years at the time of placement; –All files had been closed for a minimum of 3 months; –Placement lasted at least one month in accordance with the Youth Protection Act or the Young Offenders Act; –Placement in a residential center (excluding foster families). Quantitative analysis of data –Chi square and Student t test –Logistic regression

Some results…

Description of the youth in the study n = 102 adolescents Sex –80 boys 36 (45%) reunited 44 (55%) non reunited –22 girls 15 (68%) reunited 7 (32%) non reunited Ethnicity –66 youth from Quebec –36 immigrant youth (42% from Haiti) Age –Average age at first placement = 13,83 years –Average age at the beginning of the last placement = 15,62 years –Average age at exit = 17,32 years

Description of the youth in the study (continued) Issues –90,2% have problems in school or with learning –84,3% exhibit behaviours of opposition –81,4% have problems with aggression and/or violence –77,5% have delinquent behaviour –76,5% have relationship problems with their parent(s) –71,6% have alcohol or drug abuse problems –57,8% exhibit flight behaviours –31,4% have problems with anxiety and have low self esteem –24,5% have suicidal thoughts, threats, attempts Home environment before placement –42,1% live in a single parent household –25,4% live in a mixed family with their mother or father –24,5% live in an intact two parent family –7,8% live in other types of families

Description of the youth in the study (continued) Average number of months in foster care = 29,3 months Average length of the last placement = 20,95 month Law involved at time of placement –62,7% of youth under Youth Protection Act –37,3% of youth under the Young Offenders Act Principal reason for placement –Behavioural problems (a little over 50% of youth) –Crime with violence (a little over 25% of youth) Substitute care environment at the beginning of placement –71,6% of youth in a residential center –19,6% of youth in group homes –8,8% of youth in another resource (FC or supervised apartments) 70 (68,6%) changed care environments. Substitute care environments at the end of placement –78,4% of youth in a residential center –13,7% of youth in group homes –7,8% of youth in foster families

First logistic regression model based on the complete sample (n = 102) The first model includes the following factors*: –Ethnicity –Consecutive or concurrent follow-ups in YP and YO –The number of placements –The length of the last placement –The possibility of exit into the family home Rate of global classification of 79,4% Rate of classification of reunited adolescents: 84,3% * p ≤.05

Second logistic regression model (n=66) The second model includes the following factors*: –The ethnocultural origin –Parental involvement –Reluctance or disagreement of the mother in regards to return Rate of global classification 87,9% Rate of classification of reunified adolescents: 94,9% * p ≤.05

Conclusions Systemise the practice of family reunification –Plan and prepare the exit at the beginning of placement. Strengthen the family and social networks of the youth before exit: –Parents represent an important support resource for youth at exit. –Mobilize the members of the extended family. Encourage and multiply parent-adolescent contacts. Develop specific FR programs. Diversify services offered. Explore the relationship between ethnocultural origin and FR.

The end! Questions or comments?