RCT of a mentoring and skills group program: placement and permanency outcomes for foster youth.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the impact of a mentoring and skills group intervention for preadolescent children in foster care on placement stability and permanence at 1-year postintervention.


METHODS
A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 9- to 11-year-old children who were maltreated and placed in foster care (n = 54 control; n = 56 intervention). State child welfare records provided information on number of placement changes, placement in residential treatment, and case closure (ie, permanency). Rates of adoption and reunification were also examined. Analysis was by intention to treat.


RESULTS
After controlling for baseline functioning and preintervention placement history, intervention youth were 71% less likely to be placed in residential treatment (odds ratio [OR] = 0.29, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.09-0.98). There were no significant treatment differences in predicting placement changes or permanency for the total sample. Among a subsample of children living in nonrelative foster care at baseline, intervention youth had 44% fewer placement changes (incidence ratio = 0.56, 95% CI 0.34-0.93), were 82% less likely to be placed in a residential treatment center (OR = 0.18, 95% CI 0.03-0.96), and were 5 times more likely to have attained permanency at 1 year postintervention (OR = 5.14, 95% CI 1.55-17.07). More intervention youth had reunified 1-year postintervention [χ(2)(1, N = 78) = 3.99; P < .05], and the pattern of findings suggested that intervention youth had higher rates of adoption. A significant interaction [χ(2)(1, N = 110) = 5.43; P = .02] demonstrated that the intervention attenuated the impact of baseline behavior problems on placement changes.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings suggest that participation in a 9-month mentoring and skills group intervention leads to greater placement stability and permanence, especially for children in nonrelative foster care.
Kempe Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Child Abuse and Neglect, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Colorado, The Gary Pavilion at The Children’s Hospital, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045, USA. heather.taussig@childrenscolorado.org
Heather N
HN
Taussig
Sara E
SE
Culhane
Edward
E
Garrido
Michael D
MD
Knudtson
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000300:Adoption; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002669:Child Welfare; D003120:Colorado; D005260:Female; D005581:Foster Home Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D057194:Intention to Treat Analysis; D016014:Linear Models; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008611:Mentors; D011340:Problem Solving; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group / Q000379:methods*; D012114:Residential Treatment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016896:Treatment Outcome