Adverse Childhood Experiences and Foster Care Placement Stability

OBJECTIVES To examine the impact of cumulative adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on a child’s foster care placement stability in Kansas. METHODS Secondary data analysis was conducted by using a purposive cohort sample of 2998 children, from 6 to 18 years old, in Kansas’s foster care system between October 2015 and July 2019. Multivariate hierarchical logistic regression models were used to examine the influence of cumulative ACEs on a child's placement stability. ACEs were measured at foster care intake and self-reported by the child. Placement stability variables were obtained through the state administrative database. RESULTS Children in foster care with greater cumulative ACE exposure were significantly more likely to experience placement instability. Compared to children with 1 to 5 ACEs, when controlling for all other variables, children with ≥10 ACEs had an increased odds of experiencing placement instability by 31% (odds ratio: 1.31; P < .05); and children with 6 to 9 ACEs had a 52% (odds ratio: 1.52, P < .001) increased odds of experiencing placement instability. A child’s race, biological sex, age at episode start, and whether they had siblings in foster care all significantly influenced placement instability. CONCLUSIONS Findings from this study, in conjunction with previous research on ACEs and foster care, highlight the need to proactively address ACEs and trauma exposure at foster care entry.

Sibling Separation and Placement Instability for Children in Foster Care

U.S. foster care policy prioritizes keeping siblings together while in foster care. However, prior research on the effects of sibling placement is limited in sample, measures, and research design. In this study, we use data on 2,297 children from an urban county in years 2015–2019 and assess how sibling separation is associated with placement instability. We use multilevel parametric hazard modeling with adjustments for child, sibling, and placement characteristics. Findings indicate that children placed with at least one sibling are less likely to experience a placement move and are specifically less likely to experience a non-progress move (e.g., moves due to problems or negative experiences in their foster home). For larger sibling groups, sibling separation was not consistently associated with placement instability and there was little difference in placement instability for children placed with some versus all siblings. Results were robust to differences in measurement and model specification. Black or Hispanic race/ethnicity was also associated with increased risk of instability, and associations between sibling separation and instability were stronger for Black children, implying enhanced efforts to maintain sibling groups may be especially beneficial for Black children. Overall, findings provide support for the continuation and expansion of policies promoting sibling placement.