Monday, 17 September 2018
An estimated 40% to 60% of children in foster care have clinically significant emotional or behavioral problems. Children in foster
care experience a range of complex psychosocial issues due to a loss of stability in a foundational biological family unit. Research shows that placement type may have an impact on a child’s socioemotional resiliency and level of access to needed mental health
services. In order to provide quality care to foster children in the healthcare setting, it is important to know the effect that placement type has on a child’s individual needs. The purpose of this literature review was to evaluate the effect of foster home placement type, specifically kinship foster care compared to non-kinship foster care, on foster child resilience. Methods included evaluation of systematic reviews, descriptive research, and cohort studies. This review synthesizes results from 11 articles comparing beneficial and negative effects of both kinship and non-kinship foster care on various indicators of child well-being including behavior, mental health, financial resources, and placement stability. A recent interview with a current registered nurse is included to support the clinical significance of this review as it evaluates the effect of placement type on a foster child's access to necessary healthcare and socioemotional ability to develop trusting relationships with healthcare providers. Ultimately, there was no evidence to prove that either kinship or non-kinship foster care had an overall more desirable effect than the other on resilience. Rather, research suggests that each may offer solutions to specific needs - kinship care providing more beneficial psychosocial effects through maintenance of biological attachment and non-kinship care providing more beneficial economic effects by offering properly trained caregivers and historically increased resources. While further research is needed due to an insufficient evidence base, the existing research seems to suggest that the most effective placement type for a child needs to be determined based on his individual set of needs. Increasing support for kinship families may bridge the gap of benefits in foster care placement type by integrating biological ties and adequate resources into one effective form of foster care.
care experience a range of complex psychosocial issues due to a loss of stability in a foundational biological family unit. Research shows that placement type may have an impact on a child’s socioemotional resiliency and level of access to needed mental health
services. In order to provide quality care to foster children in the healthcare setting, it is important to know the effect that placement type has on a child’s individual needs. The purpose of this literature review was to evaluate the effect of foster home placement type, specifically kinship foster care compared to non-kinship foster care, on foster child resilience. Methods included evaluation of systematic reviews, descriptive research, and cohort studies. This review synthesizes results from 11 articles comparing beneficial and negative effects of both kinship and non-kinship foster care on various indicators of child well-being including behavior, mental health, financial resources, and placement stability. A recent interview with a current registered nurse is included to support the clinical significance of this review as it evaluates the effect of placement type on a foster child's access to necessary healthcare and socioemotional ability to develop trusting relationships with healthcare providers. Ultimately, there was no evidence to prove that either kinship or non-kinship foster care had an overall more desirable effect than the other on resilience. Rather, research suggests that each may offer solutions to specific needs - kinship care providing more beneficial psychosocial effects through maintenance of biological attachment and non-kinship care providing more beneficial economic effects by offering properly trained caregivers and historically increased resources. While further research is needed due to an insufficient evidence base, the existing research seems to suggest that the most effective placement type for a child needs to be determined based on his individual set of needs. Increasing support for kinship families may bridge the gap of benefits in foster care placement type by integrating biological ties and adequate resources into one effective form of foster care.
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