Placement Disruption in Treatment Foster Care

Abstract
Rates of placement disruption in traditional and treatment foster care are reviewed. Contextual factors, individual child and caregiver characteristics, and risk factors thought to influence rates of placement disruption are explored. A model for treatment foster care is described, and data are presented on disruption rates for this program. The results indicated that the likelihood of placement disruption is two times higher during the first 6 months (17.8%) compared to the second 6 months (9.2%) of treatment.Taken together across the first and second 6 months of treatment, 23 of 90 youth (25.5%) experienced a placement disruption. Findings indicate that age and gender play a role in disruption, with older girls at the greatest risk for placement disruption. Limitations of the study, future directions,and implications for treatment are discussed.
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