IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/cysrev/v109y2020ics0190740919308606.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Unaccompanied children in Flemish family foster care. Prevalence and associated factors of placement breakdown

Author

Listed:
  • Van Holen, Frank
  • Blijkers, Cindy
  • Trogh, Lenny
  • West, Delphine
  • Vanderfaeillie, Johan

Abstract

This study aimed at investigating the incidence of placement breakdown in Flemish family foster care (Dutch speaking part of Belgium) for unaccompanied children (UC), and to explore the association of breakdown with foster child, foster family and case characteristics. Data regarding breakdown in family foster care for UC are scarce and non-existing for Flanders. Case files of 107 UC who were placed in family foster care were analyzed. After one year 19 placements (17.8%) had terminated: 13 placements broke down (12.2%) and 6 placements ended positively (5.6%). Conflicts between the foster parents and the UC, parenting problems, conflicts between the foster parents and the biological family of the UC, and running away of the UC were the causes of placement disruption. UC who experienced trauma in the host country were more at risk of breakdown, whilst social contacts with peers of the same culture and social contacts with Belgian peers were protective factors for placement disruption. Therefore, special attention should be given to UC who experience trauma in the host country. Furthermore, facilitating contacts with peers from the same culture and from the autochthonous community is of major importance.

Suggested Citation

  • Van Holen, Frank & Blijkers, Cindy & Trogh, Lenny & West, Delphine & Vanderfaeillie, Johan, 2020. "Unaccompanied children in Flemish family foster care. Prevalence and associated factors of placement breakdown," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 109(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:109:y:2020:i:c:s0190740919308606
    DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2019.104736
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0190740919308606
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.childyouth.2019.104736?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Oosterman, Mirjam & Schuengel, Carlo & Wim Slot, N. & Bullens, Ruud A.R. & Doreleijers, Theo A.H., 2007. "Disruptions in foster care: A review and meta-analysis," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(1), pages 53-76, January.
    2. Webster, Daniel & Shlonsky, Aron & Shaw, Terry & Brookhart, M. Alan, 2005. "The ties that bind II: Reunification for siblings in out-of-home care using a statistical technique for examining non-independent observations," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 27(7), pages 765-782, July.
    3. van Santen, Eric, 2010. "Predictors of exit type and length of stay in non-kinship family foster care -- The German experience," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(10), pages 1211-1222, October.
    4. Akin, Becci A., 2011. "Predictors of foster care exits to permanency: A competing risks analysis of reunification, guardianship, and adoption," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(6), pages 999-1011, June.
    5. Van Holen, Frank & Trogh, Lenny & West, Delphine & Meys, Nina & Vanderfaeillie, Johan, 2019. "Concept mapping the needs of Flemish nonkinship foster parents who care for unaccompanied refugee minors," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 84-92.
    6. Crea, Thomas M. & Lopez, Anayeli & Taylor, Theresa & Underwood, Dawnya, 2017. "Unaccompanied migrant children in the United States: Predictors of placement stability in long term foster care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 93-99.
    7. Bean, Tammy M. & Eurelings-Bontekoe, Elisabeth & Spinhoven, Philip, 2007. "Course and predictors of mental health of unaccompanied refugee minors in the Netherlands: One year follow-up," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 64(6), pages 1204-1215, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Rip, Jet & Zijlstra, Elianne & Post, Wendy & Kalverboer, Margrite & Knorth, Erik J., 2020. "Cultural matching factors, child factors and fostering factors associated with successful foster placement: An explorative study into the perspectives of unaccompanied refugee children, their foster c," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    2. Van Holen, Frank & Dewilde, Isabel & Trogh, Lenny & Verheyden, Camille & Vanderfaeillie, Johan, 2021. "Prevalence and associated factors of placement breakdown of unaccompanied children in Flemish family foster care. A follow-up study," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    3. Rip, Jet & Hasami, Selsela & Post, Wendy & Zijlstra, Elianne & Knorth, Erik J. & Kalverboer, Margrite, 2021. "Perspectives of unaccompanied refugee children, their foster carers and guardians on placement success: Which factors predict multi-informant discrepancies?," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 128(C).
    4. Van Holen, Frank & Verberckmoes, Lobke & Trogh, Lenny & West, Delphine & Vanderfaeillie, Johan, 2023. "Placement breakdown in Flemish family foster care for unaccompanied refugee minors. Experiences of non-kinship foster parents," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Van Holen, Frank & Dewilde, Isabel & Trogh, Lenny & Verheyden, Camille & Vanderfaeillie, Johan, 2021. "Prevalence and associated factors of placement breakdown of unaccompanied children in Flemish family foster care. A follow-up study," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    2. Rip, Jet & Zijlstra, Elianne & Post, Wendy & Kalverboer, Margrite & Knorth, Erik J., 2020. "Cultural matching factors, child factors and fostering factors associated with successful foster placement: An explorative study into the perspectives of unaccompanied refugee children, their foster c," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    3. DiGiovanni, Anna & Font, Sarah A., 2021. "Revisiting conventional wisdom: What do we know from 30 years of research on sibling placement in foster care?," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    4. Van Holen, Frank & Verberckmoes, Lobke & Trogh, Lenny & West, Delphine & Vanderfaeillie, Johan, 2023. "Placement breakdown in Flemish family foster care for unaccompanied refugee minors. Experiences of non-kinship foster parents," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    5. Van Holen, Frank & Belenger, Laurence & Carlier, Elke & Potoms, Babette & Vanderfaeillie, Johan, 2018. "Short-term family foster care in Flanders: An exploratory study into the factors associated with family reunification decisions," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 699-708.
    6. Waid, Jeffrey & Kothari, Brianne H. & Bank, Lew & McBeath, Bowen, 2016. "Foster care placement change: The role of family dynamics and household composition," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 44-50.
    7. Goemans, Anouk & Vanderfaeillie, Johan & Damen, Harm & Pijnenburg, Huub & Van Holen, Frank, 2016. "Reunification of foster children: Factors associated with reunification outcomes in Flanders and the Netherlands," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 284-292.
    8. Herbster, Julia M. & Ocasio, Kerrie, 2021. "The complex relationship between sibling contact and child and family well-being in foster care: An exploration of child and family functioning in a pre-permanency cohort," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    9. Harding, Leith & Murray, Kate & Shakespeare-Finch, Jane & Frey, Ron, 2018. "High stress experienced in the foster and kin carer role: Understanding the complexities of the carer and child in context," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 316-326.
    10. Van Holen, Frank & Trogh, Lenny & West, Delphine & Meys, Nina & Vanderfaeillie, Johan, 2019. "Concept mapping the needs of Flemish nonkinship foster parents who care for unaccompanied refugee minors," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 84-92.
    11. McBeath, Bowen & Kothari, Brianne H. & Blakeslee, Jennifer & Lamson-Siu, Emilie & Bank, Lew & Linares, L. Oriana & Waid, Jeffrey & Sorenson, Paul & Jimenez, Jessica & Pearson, Eva & Shlonsky, Aron, 2014. "Intervening to improve outcomes for siblings in foster care: Conceptual, substantive, and methodological dimensions of a prevention science framework," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 1-10.
    12. Ubbesen, Mads Bonde & Petersen, Liselotte & Mortensen, Preben Bo & Kristensen, Ole Steen, 2012. "Out of care and into care again: A Danish register‐based study of children placed in out-of‐home care before their third birthday," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 34(11), pages 2147-2155.
    13. Landers, Ashley L. & Danes, Sharon M. & Harstad, Jane & White Hawk, Sandy, 2017. "Finding their way home: Factors associated with reunification for American Indian and White adults," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 359-364.
    14. Rip, Jet & Hasami, Selsela & Post, Wendy & Zijlstra, Elianne & Knorth, Erik J. & Kalverboer, Margrite, 2021. "Perspectives of unaccompanied refugee children, their foster carers and guardians on placement success: Which factors predict multi-informant discrepancies?," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 128(C).
    15. Holtan, Amy & Handegård, Bjørn Helge & Thørnblad, Renee & Vis, Svein Arild, 2013. "Placement disruption in long-term kinship and nonkinship foster care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 35(7), pages 1087-1094.
    16. Konijn, Carolien & Admiraal, Sabine & Baart, Josefiene & van Rooij, Floor & Stams, Geert-Jan & Colonnesi, Cristina & Lindauer, Ramón & Assink, Mark, 2019. "Foster care placement instability: A meta-analytic review," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 483-499.
    17. Landers, Ashley L. & Danes, Sharon M., 2016. "Forgotten children: A critical review of the reunification of American Indian children in the child welfare system," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 137-147.
    18. Stenason, Lauren & Romano, Elisa, 2023. "Number of placement changes among young people in care: Youth and caregiver associations," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).
    19. Tucker, David J. & MacKenzie, Michael J., 2012. "Attachment theory and change processes in foster care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 34(11), pages 2208-2219.
    20. Vanschoonlandt, Femke & Vanderfaeillie, Johan & Van Holen, Frank & De Maeyer, Skrällan & Robberechts, Marijke, 2013. "Externalizing problems in young foster children: Prevalence rates, predictors and service use," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 35(4), pages 716-724.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:109:y:2020:i:c:s0190740919308606. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/childyouth .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.