title: Residential Care for Youth in the Child Welfare System: Stop-Gap Option or Not?
abstract: This study provides national estimates for length of stay in residential care and examines within-group variability along salient predictors. Using data from the National Study on Child and Adolescent Well-Being, the sample included 254 youth with episodes in residential care. Descriptive analyses provided estimates for length of stay over the three-year study period. Negative binomial regression was used to examine the effect of predictor variables on length of stay. Results indicate that a minority of youth experienced short stays in residential care. Chronic health problems and a greater number of placements were associated with longer stays. Implications for practice and research are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Work & Social Ecology, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, California, USA, and Child and Adolescent Services Research Center, Rady Children's Hospital San Diego, San Diego, California, USA.
authors.forename: Sigrid S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: James
authors.forename: Jin Jin
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Landsverk
keywords: child welfare; length of stay in care; negative binomial regression; out-of-home care; residential care; residential treatment