Disentangling the effect of out-of-home care on child mental health.
Child abuse and neglect
Child mental health
Child outcomes
Out-of-home care
Journal
Child abuse & neglect
ISSN: 1873-7757
Titre abrégé: Child Abuse Negl
Pays: England
ID NLM: 7801702
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
02 2019
02 2019
Historique:
received:
21
05
2018
revised:
17
11
2018
accepted:
20
11
2018
pubmed:
12
12
2018
medline:
23
2
2020
entrez:
12
12
2018
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Children in out-of-home care are consistently found to have poor mental health compared to children in the general population. However, UK research has so far failed to disentangle the impact of the care system on children's mental health outcomes from the effects of the adverse circumstances that led to their admission to care. This research investigated the association between care placement and the presence of child mental health problems after controlling for children's pre-care experiences. It also identified factors associated with mental health problems among children in care. The sample comprised three groups of children involved with child welfare services due to maltreatment, including children in out-of-home care (n = 122), reunified children (n = 82) and those who had never been in care (n = 159). The mental health of the children in the three groups was compared, using information collected from their parents/foster carers and social workers. The odds of a child in out-of-home care having a mental health problem were not significantly higher than those of a child who had never been in care (AOR = 1.24; p = 0.462). However, the odds of a child in out-of-home care having reactive attachment disorder (RAD) were significantly higher than those of a child who had never been in care (AOR=1.92; p = 0.032). These findings make an important contribution to international debates about whether placing children in care is beneficial or detrimental to their wellbeing, and highlight a range of inter-linking factors associated with the mental health of children in out-of-home care.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
Children in out-of-home care are consistently found to have poor mental health compared to children in the general population. However, UK research has so far failed to disentangle the impact of the care system on children's mental health outcomes from the effects of the adverse circumstances that led to their admission to care.
OBJECTIVE
This research investigated the association between care placement and the presence of child mental health problems after controlling for children's pre-care experiences. It also identified factors associated with mental health problems among children in care.
PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING
The sample comprised three groups of children involved with child welfare services due to maltreatment, including children in out-of-home care (n = 122), reunified children (n = 82) and those who had never been in care (n = 159).
METHODS
The mental health of the children in the three groups was compared, using information collected from their parents/foster carers and social workers.
RESULTS
The odds of a child in out-of-home care having a mental health problem were not significantly higher than those of a child who had never been in care (AOR = 1.24; p = 0.462). However, the odds of a child in out-of-home care having reactive attachment disorder (RAD) were significantly higher than those of a child who had never been in care (AOR=1.92; p = 0.032).
CONCLUSIONS
These findings make an important contribution to international debates about whether placing children in care is beneficial or detrimental to their wellbeing, and highlight a range of inter-linking factors associated with the mental health of children in out-of-home care.
Identifiants
pubmed: 30537620
pii: S0145-2134(18)30432-0
doi: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2018.11.011
pii:
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
189-200Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.