title: The Decision Making Ecology of placing a child into foster care: A structural equation model.
abstract: The Decision Making Ecology provided a framework for empirically testing the impact of Case, Caseworker and Organizational factors on the decision to place children in out-of-home care. The structural equation model we developed fit the data extremely well, indicating a complex relationship between the variables. The main findings indicate that Case factors, even as aggregated to the worker level, were of most importance: Percent Removed was increased in part by greater average Risk being assessed and more families on a worker's caseload being Low Income. Furthermore, removal rates were increased by lower proportions of Hispanic families on the caseload, as well as lower organizational support, and a perception of manageable workload and sufficient resources. Individual factors, i.e., variables characterizing the caseworkers themselves, were not found to directly influence the placement decision, including workers' own race/ethnicity, though various orders of mediated effects were indicated, and these are detailed. Interrelationships between variables that affect case, caseworker and organizational factors are discussed along with implications for practice.
authors: Department of Health Sciences Administration, University of Washington, USA.
authors: J Christopher
authors: JC
authors: Graham
authors: Jane Addams College of Social Work, University of Illinois at Chicago, USA.
authors: Alan J
authors: AJ
authors: Dettlaff
authors: Saint Edwards University, USA.
authors: Donald J
authors: DJ
authors: Baumann
authors: Kempe Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Child Abuse and Neglect, Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, USA.
authors: John D
authors: JD
authors: Fluke
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare; D003657:Decision Making; D003661:Decision Support Techniques; D005260:Female; D005581:Foster Home Care / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D012307:Risk Factors; D000068217:Social Workers; D013781:Texas; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Child protection; Child welfare; Decision-making; Foster care; Risk assessment; Structural equation model; Workforce