1. © 2005-2006 CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation L. Daisy Henderson daisy.henderson@gmail.com Tel (716) 645-2417 ext 405 University at Buffalo, SUNY 430 Park Hall, Buffalo, New York,14260 Peter K. B. St. Jean, Assistant Professor buffaloresearch@yahoo.com Tel (716) 645 -2417 ext 468 University at Buffalo, SUNY 430 Park Hall, Buffalo, New York,14260 Center of Development and Human Services

2. © 2005-2006 CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation Exploring New Directions in Foster Care Placement Influencing Quality of Life of Children through Neighborhoods

3. © 2005-2006 CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation Overview of Presentation  Importance  Method and Data  Findings  Implications  Questions and Discussion

4. © 2005-2006 CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation Importance  Challenges faced by foster children  Children and families thrive best where both informal and formal networks exist  Quality of life in communities can be enhanced through informal networks such as neighborhood organizations

5. © 2005-2006 CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation Importance  Case workers, foster parents and foster children use these resources  Block clubs more aware of foster children, parents in their neighborhoods and methods of assistance  How do the two unite?

6. © 2005-2006 CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation Previous Sociological Research  Importance of family and strategies used to make a difference in lives of children  Emphasis on how social capital, informal social control mechanisms and social organization bear on children’s well-being  Collective efficacy  social cohesion among residents combined with trust, solidarity and a willingness to intervene on behalf of a common good

7. © 2005-2006 CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation Methods  Data as of March 2005  Foster care placement in Erie County  Foster care placement in Buffalo, New York  Ethnographic Research on neighborhood organizations  U.S. Census

8. © 2005-2006 CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation Question  How are foster children located in the City of Buffalo, NY in reference to various levels of collective efficacy and specific socioeconomic variables?

9. © 2005-2006 CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation Findings: What are Block Clubs Task-specific neighborhood voluntary (not- for-profit) organizations created by community residents Organize to improve neighborhood quality of life issues and crime challenges Administer power to local citizens, instill a sense of pride and provide a mechanism for continuous social change Continuously involved in programs and projects and are unintentionally neglected resources

10. © 2005-2006 CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation Foster Homes with Children Buffalo, New York Zip codes 14215 and 14211 have highest concentration of foster homes Zip codes 14222, 14202, 14203,14206, and 14220 have lowest concentration of foster homes

11. © 2005-2006 CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation Foster Children and Block Clubs High concentration of block clubs in zip codes 14215, 14211,14213 and 14201 Low concentration of block clubs in zip codes 14202,14203, 14206 and 14220 Note zip code 14202 has few block clubs and foster children

12. © 2005-2006 CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation Foster Children and Race

13. © 2005-2006 CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation Race: Black and White

14. © 2005-2006 CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation Foster Homes & Population

15. © 2005-2006 CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation Income, Block Clubs & Foster Homes

16. © 2005-2006 CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation Foster Children & White per Capita Income

17. © 2005-2006 CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation Foster Children and Black per Capita Income

18. © 2005-2006 CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation Age, Foster Homes and Block Clubs

19. © 2005-2006 CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation Neighborhood Profiles  Most foster homes are concentrated within zip codes with middle and lower income African Americans (14215, and 14211 respectively).  Some foster homes are in neighborhoods with high concentrations of block clubs, while others are not.  The highest populated zip codes have different levels of foster home concentration.  Higher income zip codes have fewer block clubs and foster home concentration than middle and low income zip codes.

20. © 2005-2006 CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation Implications and Future Research  Theoretical  Extending collective efficacy to include neighborhood well-being of foster children  Methodological  Longitudinal analysis in future research  Multi-methods  Policy  Recognize block clubs as a source for collective efficacy for a variety of reasons  Matching of children in their own neighborhoods

21. © 2005-2006 CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation Questions and Discussion

22. © 2005-2006 CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation Exploring New Directions in Foster Care Placement Influencing Quality of Life of Children through Neighborhoods