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Effects of an interdisciplinary approach to parental representation in child welfare

Author

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  • Gerber, Lucas A.
  • Pang, Yuk C.
  • Ross, Timothy
  • Guggenheim, Martin
  • Pecora, Peter J.
  • Miller, Joel

Abstract

This study utilizes a quasi-experimental propensity score matching design to assess the causal impact on child welfare outcomes when parents facing an abuse or neglect case in the New York City Family Court were provided interdisciplinary law office representation as opposed to a standard panel attorney. The interdisciplinary law office approach includes social work staff and parent advocates for the parent, and salaried attorneys working in nonprofit organizations. Using administrative child welfare data, the study assesses the foster care and safety outcomes of 9582 families and their 18,288 children. The propensity score matched results do not indicate a preventive effect toward foster care entry nor any difference in children's likelihoods of experiencing a subsequent substantiated report of maltreatment. However, when children's parents received the interdisciplinary representation and those children did enter foster care, children spent 118 fewer days on average in foster care during the four years following the abuse or neglect case filing. Subsequent competing risk models show that children whose parents received the interdisciplinary law office model achieved overall permanency, reunification, and guardianship more quickly. These results provide evidence that interdisciplinary law office parental representation is an effective intervention to promote permanency for children in foster care.

Suggested Citation

  • Gerber, Lucas A. & Pang, Yuk C. & Ross, Timothy & Guggenheim, Martin & Pecora, Peter J. & Miller, Joel, 2019. "Effects of an interdisciplinary approach to parental representation in child welfare," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 42-55.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:102:y:2019:i:c:p:42-55
    DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2019.04.022
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    Cited by:

    1. Gerber, Lucas A. & Guggenheim, Martin & Pang, Yuk C. & Ross, Timothy & Mayevskaya, Yana & Jacobs, Susan & Pecora, Peter J., 2020. "Understanding the effects of an interdisciplinary approach to parental representation in child welfare," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).
    2. Ryan Cooper & Joseph Doyle & Andres Hojman, 2023. "Legal aid in child welfare: Evidence from a randomized trial of Mi Abogado," POID Working Papers 077, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    3. Jay Miller, J. & Donahue-Dioh, Jessica & Owens, Larry, 2020. "Examining the legal representation of youth in foster care: Perspectives of attorneys and attorney guardians ad litem," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).

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