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Family first or the kindness of strangers? Foster care placements and adult outcomes

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  • Lovett, Nicholas
  • Xue, Yuhan

Abstract

We evaluate the long-run effects of placing foster children with extended family, rather than unrelated caregivers. An instrumental variable identification strategy is used to estimate the effects of kinship care relative to traditional foster care. We find former foster youth placed with kin benefit across a host of important adult outcomes, including increases in employment and education, and reductions in public assistance, homelessness, and incarceration. Estimated effects are statistically significant, and robust to multiple specifications. Findings suggest kinship care has the potential to improve important adult outcomes for a large, at-risk population and create large social cost savings.

Suggested Citation

  • Lovett, Nicholas & Xue, Yuhan, 2020. "Family first or the kindness of strangers? Foster care placements and adult outcomes," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:labeco:v:65:y:2020:i:c:s0927537120300440
    DOI: 10.1016/j.labeco.2020.101840
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    Cited by:

    1. Peter Choate & Christina Tortorelli, 2022. "Attachment Theory: A Barrier for Indigenous Children Involved with Child Protection," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(14), pages 1-20, July.
    2. E. Jason Baron & Ezra G. Goldstein & Joseph Ryan, 2023. "The Push for Racial Equity in Child Welfare: Can Blind Removals Reduce Disproportionality?," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 42(2), pages 456-487, March.
    3. Nina Thorup Dalgaard & Anja Bondebjerg & Elizabeth Bengtsen & Jens Dietrichson & Anders Bach‐Mortensen, 2024. "Protocol: Interventions aimed at preventing out‐of‐home placement of children: A systematic review," Campbell Systematic Reviews, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 20(2), June.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Foster care; Adult outcomes; Family ties; Instrumental variable;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I38 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • H75 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Government: Health, Education, and Welfare

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