“Short-stayers” in child welfare: Characteristics and system experiences

This exploratory study examined the characteristics of children who had relatively brief experiences in out-of-home (OOH) child welfare placements (i.e., involved in OOH placements for 30 days or less) to better understand the demographic composition of this group as well as their child welfare system experiences leading up to and following these brief placements. This study provides a broad picture of this “short-stayer” population, using national child welfare administrative data (Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System {AFCARS}) from Fiscal Year 2018. In comparing short-stayers with those who had longer spells in child welfare (from 30 days up to five years or more), the final sample for the analyses was 251,112 children. The percentage of children nationwide who fell into the short or very short-stayer category, was close to 10%. Several key findings emerged, differentiating short-stayers from children with longer stays in OOH care, based on several demographic and risk characteristics, as well as on their prior recent history of involvement with child welfare. Moreover, the short-stayer population was more likely to reside in more restrictive settings while in these brief placements. The implications for placing children into OOH care for such brief periods of time are discussed.