Abstract # 0000

1. Abstract # 0000 Drop-Out: Are children in state’s custody failing at graduation? Terri Mason Social Work Department University of TN at Chattanooga • ABSTRACT • While it may be true that race and negative adjudication reasons are potential barriers in adoption, these same factors may also contribute to other issues in the development of foster children in state’s custody; namely, graduation from high school. Literature indicates that children in state’s custody have a greater risk of not graduating from high school than children who live with their birth families (Larson, 2006; Larson & Jefferys, 2006; Sherman, 2004; Swanson, 2003). This study looks at children in state’s custody foster care programs, with an emphasis on race and negative adjudication reasons, to examine a correlation between these variables and high school graduation success. It is expected, that by looking through a strengths perspective combined with an ecological systems theory lens, that a lack of positive reinforcement and an abundance of negative feedback from the child’s support system will be at the root of this calamity • Richard Wertheimer, PhD., in his research brief, Youth who “Age Out” of Foster Care: Troubled Lives, Troubling Prospects , echo's Farruggia and team's findings, by suggesting that children leaving foster care as a result of aging out, “...are less well prepared educationally, have a harder time embarking on a productive career, are more likely to abuse drugs and alcohol, and are more likely to be involved with the legal system (2002). This finding is mirrored by Rachel H. Sherman, in which she suggests that the ill preparedness of foster children who age out of care, leave many to the plights of the unemployed, including homelessness, unwanted pregnancies, and inadequate health care (2004). • Minnesota’s MinnLInk 2006 issue brief reported that in 2003, although the graduation rate for Minnesota’s youth as a whole is between 78% - and 92%, of the 387 children in their study who had spent time with the child protection system, faired at only 47%. In a follow-up study of children in Minnesota's child protection system, found significant differences in wages for high school graduates and non-graduates; in particular, those participants who are considered minority races (Larson, 2006). Larson noted that the differences in wages for special education recipients are as much as $8000 (p. 7). She also indicated as much as a $10,000 dollar difference between graduates in state care who were not enrolled in special education classes and those who were enrolled. The difference between non-graduates in both categories amounted to similar differences. • DESCRIPTION OF METHODS TO SELECT STUDY SAMPLE CONT. • While the conceptual definition of adjudication is ‘the outcome of the court’s process to determine the validity of allegations made in a petition or complain. The process consists of the presentation of witnesses and evidence by oral testimony or written statements, and arguments by counsel or the parties’, the operational definition for the purposes of this study, is defined by behavioral issues that have either brought the child into custody, or have developed in the child while in custody. These issues can be described as probable reasons for academic failure. The conceptual definition of custody can be said to be the control of actual physical care of the child, including the rights and responsibility to provide for the physical, mental and moral well being of the child. [TCA 37-1-102 (b) (8)]. For the purposes of this study, custody is defined as the legal right over the child by the State, who is responsible for ensuring that the child’s needs are met through either a State approved foster home, or a contracted foster agency. Conceptually defining the dependent and neglected child is a child who is without a parent, guardian, or legal custodian or whose parent, guardian, or person with whom the child lives, is unable to properly care for the child, or neglects or refuses to protect the child [TCA 37-1-102(b) (12)]. For the purposes of this study, dependent and neglected child will be defined by an appropriate adjudication reason for inclusion in the sample. DCS describes the unruly child/youth as a child in need of treatment and rehabilitation who habitually and without justification is truant from school while subject to compulsory schools attendance under TCA 49-6-3007; or is habitually disobedient of the reasonable and lawful commands of parents/guardians or other legal custodians to the degree that such child’s health and safety are endangered; or commits an offense which is applicable only to a child; or is a runaway. For the purposes of this study, unruly child/youth will be defined by an appropriate adjudication reason for inclusion in the sample. The term foster child is defined by www.nolo.com as a child placed by a government agency or a court in the care of someone other than his or her natural parents. Foster children may be removed from their family home because of parental abuse or neglect. Occasionally, parents voluntarily place their children in foster care. • For the purposes of this study, the term foster child will be used to define those children who are in state’s custody, who have been assigned to the state due to a legal termination of rights either by the parents or by the court. • PURPOSE/RATIONAL CONT. • Tennessee, in general. However, it is vital, not only to the state of Tennessee, but also to the entire Nation as a whole, to examine the data to determine if children in state’s custody are failing at high school graduation. RESEARCH QUESTIONS 1. Does race negatively influence high school graduation rates for children in state’s custody? Research will find that race other than Caucasian is more likely to have negative implications in high school graduation rates for children in state run foster care. 2. Do behavioral and/or emotional issues indicated by negative adjudication reason negatively influence high school graduation rates for children in state’s custody? Research will find that behavioral and/or emotional issues indicated by negative adjudication reasons (delinquent and/or unruly), are more likely to have a negative impact on high school graduation rates for children in state’s custody, than children in state’s custody without behavioral and/or emotional issues or living with their birth families. DESCRIPTION OF SAMPLING FRAME Investigator will apply stratified purposeful sampling technique to collect statistical data from Tennessee's Department of Children's Services, Foster Care Program's Annual Report, for years 2000 through 2006, and through database from Tennessee's Department of Children's Services (title unknown at this time, awaiting approval for secondary data from the State of Tennessee Department of Children's Services State Office in Nashville, Tennessee). Population totals range from 10,765 at the end of fiscal year 2000 to 9,271 at the end of fiscal year 2006 for statewide totals, and 665 at the end of fiscal year 2000 to 501 at the end of fiscal year 2006 for Hamilton County only totals. Information contained in Wulczyn, et al’s 2006 discussion paper, which indicates Tennessee foster care system’s entry and exit disparities, will be used for further verification that race has a negative affect on adoption, thus the potential for unsuccessful completion of high school. The population for this data includes children in Tennessee’s foster care system for years 2000 through 2005. Sampling will not be random.  Collected data will target children in state's custody by subgroups; gender, race, adjudication reason (Delinquent and Unruly only), discharge reason, and education level at entry and exit, graduation success/failure and continuation of higher education, for children in state's custody throughout the state of Tennessee and Hamilton County, Tennessee in particular. An example of a final subgroup division may be Female, African American, Delinquent, Adopted, Grade 5 at Entry, Grade 10 at Exit, Graduated = Yes, Continued Higher Education = No. A comparison subgroup might be Male, Caucasian, Delinquent, Aged out, Grade 7 at Entry, Grade 10 at Exit, Graduated = No. Such information would suggest that behavior may have some negative affect on graduation, but race in this case did not have such an affect. • BIBLIOGRAPHY/SOURCES CITED • Alpert, L. T. (2005, June). Research Review: Parents' services experience - a missing element in research on foster care caseoutcomes. Child and Family Social Work, 10, 361-366. Retrieved September 11, 2007, from http://www.blackwell-synergy.com.proxy.lib.utc.edu. • Aspinall, P. (2000, June). Children of mixed parentage data collection needs. CHILDREN & SOCIETY, 14(3), 207-216. Retrieved September 8, 2007, from http://www.blackwell-synergy.com.proxy.lib.utc.edu. • Bostock, L. (2004, January). By private arrangement? Safeguarding the welfare of private foster children. CHILDREN & SOCIETY, 18(1), 66-73. Retrieved September 8, 2007, from http://www.blackwell-synergy.com.proxy.lib.utc.edu. • Chamberlain, P., Leve, L., & DeGarmo, D. (2007, February). Multidimensional treatment foster care for girls in the juvenile justice system: 2-year follow-up of a randomized clinical trial [Brief Report]. Journal of Consulting & Clinical Psychology, 75(1), 187-193. Retrieved September 9, 2007February, from http://proxy.lib.utc.edu/login?url=http://gateway.ovid.com/. • Clover, A. F., Gale. (2002, August). Health of children considered for adoption. Blackwell Publishing Ltd. Child care, Health & Development, 28(6), 455 - 457. Retrieved September 11, 2007, from http://www.blackwell-synergy.com.proxy.lib.utc.edu. • Cole, S. A. (2006, October/December). Building secure relationships: Attachment in kin and unrelated foster caregiver-infant relationships. Families in Society, 87(4), 497-508. Retrieved September 1, 2007, from http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com.proxy.lib.utc.edu. • Cradock, G. (2007). The responsibility dance: Creating neoliberal children [Electronic version]. Childhood: A Global Journal of Child Research, 14(2), 153-172. . • Denuwelaere, M., Bracke. (2007, January). Support and conflict in the foster family and children's well-being: A comparison between foster and birth children. Family Relations, 56(1), 67-79. Retrieved September 1, 2007, from http://www.blackwell-synergy.com.proxy.lib.utc.edu. • Farruggia, S. P., Greenberger. (2006, June). Perceived social environment and adolescents' well-being and adjustment: Comparing a foster care sample with a matched sample. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 35(3), 349-358. Retrieved September 1, 2007, from http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com.proxy.lib.utc.edu. • Howe, D., Shemmings. (2001). Age at adoption and adult adopted people's experience of being adopted. Child and Family Social Work, 3, 337-349. Retrieved September 11, 2007, from http://www.blackwell-synergy.com.proxy.lib.utc.edu. • Kirton, D., Beecham. (2006). Adoption by foster carers: A profile of interest and outcomes. Child and Family Social Work, 11, 139-146. Retrieved September 11, 2007, from http://www.blackwell-synergy.com.proxy.lib.utc.edu. • Larson, A. (2006). Child welfare, high school graduation, and economic outcomes: Follow-up on the economic outcomes of young adults who had substantiated maltreatment findings prior to their senior year of high school (The University of Minnesota, Ed.). Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare. Retrieved 22 September 2007, from http://ssw.che.umn.edu/img/assets/4467/Economic%20Impact%20Study.pdf. • Larson, A. (2006). Graduation rates are low for teens in child protection system (The University of Minnesota, Ed.). Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare. Retrieved 22 September 2007, from http://ssw.che.umn.edu/img/assets/4467/AdolescentsBrief.pdf. • Larson, A., & Jefferys, M. (2006). High school graduation and child welfare: A description of the education status of older Minnesota adolescents in the academic year after substantiated child maltreatment findings (The University of Minnesota, Ed.). Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare. Retrieved 22 September 2007, from http://ssw.che.umn.edu/img/assets/4467/HSReport.pdf. • Leathers, S. J. (2003). Parental visiting, conflicting allegiances, and emotional and behavioral problems among foster children. Family Relations, 52(1), 53 - 63. Retrieved September 11, 2007, from http://www.blackwell-synergy.com.proxy.lib.utc.edu. • Lipscombe, J., & Farmer, E., Moyers. (2003). Parenting fostered adolescents: Skills and strategies. Child and Family Social Work, 8, 243 - 255. Retrieved September 11, 2007, from http://www.blackwell-synergy.com.proxy.lib.utc.edu. • Mallon, G. (2007, March/April). Assessing lesbian and gay prospective foster and adoptive families: A focus on the home study process. Child Welfare, 86(2), 67-86. Retrieved September 1, 2007, from http://web.ebscohost.com.libdb.chattanoogastate.edu. • Mapp, S., & Steinberg, C. (2007, January/February). Birthfamilies as permanency resources for children in long-term foster care. Child Welfare, 86(1), 29-51. Retrieved September 1, 2007, from http://web.ebscohost.com.libdb.chattanoogastate.edu. • McGuinness, T. M., Dyer. (2007, August). Catchers in the rye: Treatment foster parents as a system of care. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing, 20(3), 140 - 147. Retrieved September 11, 2007, from http://www.blackwell-synergy.com.proxy.lib.utc.edu. • Neil, E. (2000). The reasons why young children are placed for adoption findings from a recently placed sample and a discussion of implications for subsequent identity development. Child and Family Social Work, 5, 303-316. Retrieved September 11, 2007, from http://www.blackwell-synergy.com.proxy.lib.utc.edu. • Palladino, J. M. (2006). "Don't sell them dreams without the foundations": Collaboration for the transitional needs of foster care adolescents with disabilities. The High School Journal, 90(1), 22-32. Retrieved September 1, 2007, from http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com.proxy.lib.utc.edu. • Pavao JM, St. John M, Cannole, R., Fischer, T., Maluccio, A., & Peining, S. (2007, March/April). Sibling kinnections: A clinical visitation program. Child Welfare, 86(2), 13-30. Retrieved September 9, 2007, from http://web.ebscohost.com.libdb.chattanoogastate.edu. • Rep. Jerry Weller (R-Ill.). (2007, August 2). We must help foster children to graduate from high school. The Hill (Washington, D.C.).. • Rodger, S., Cummings, A., & Leschied, A. W. (2006, October). Who is caring for our most vulnerable children? The motivation to foster in child welfare [Electronic version]. Child Abuse & Neglect: The International Journal, 30(10), 1129-1142. . • Saint-Jacques, M., Cloutier, R., Pauzé, R., Simard, M., Gagne, M., & Poulin, A. (2006, November/December). The Impact of serial transitions on behavioral and psychological problems among children in child protection services. Child Welfare, 85(6), 941-964. Retrieved September 1, 2007, from http://web.ebscohost.com.libdb.chattanoogastate.edu. • Sandbæk. (1999, April). Children with problems: Focusing on everyday life. CHILDREN & SOCIETY, 13(2), 106-118. Retrieved September 8, 2007, from http://www.blackwell-synergy.com.proxy.lib.utc.edu. • Schweiger, W. K. a. O., M. (2005, October). Special needs adoption: An ecological systems approach. Family Relations, 54, 512 - 522. Retrieved September 11, 2007, from http://www.blackwell-synergy.com.proxy.lib.utc.edu. • Scott, L. D., & Davis, L. E. (2006, October). Young, black, and male in foster care: Relationship of negative social contextual experiences to factors relevant to mental health service delivery. Journal of Adolescence, 29(5), 721-736. Retrieved September 15, 2007, from http://www.lib.utc.edu/services/ill/interlibrary-loan.html. • Sherman, R. (2004, October). Serving youth aging our of foster care. In The Finance Project (8 (5)). Welfare Information Network. Retrieved 22 September, from http://www.financeproject.org/Publications/servingyouthagingoutIN.pdf. • Smith, C. (1997, April). Children's rights: Have carers abandoned values? CHILDREN & SOCIETY, 11(1). Retrieved September 8, 2007, from http://www.blackwell-synergy.com.proxy.lib.utc.edu. • Snowden, J. A., Leon, S., Bryant, F., & Lyons, J. S. (2007). Evaluating psychiatric hospital admission decisions for children in foster care: An optimal classification tree analysis [Electronic version]. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 36(1), 8-18. . • Swanson, C. B. (2003). Who graduates? Who doesn’t? A statistical portrait of public high school graduation, class of 2001. The Urban Institute, The Urban Institute. Retrieved 22 September 2007, from The Urban Institute Educational Policy Center: http://www.urban.org/publications/410934.html. • Tennessee Department of Children's Services (n.d.). (2004, June). Annual Report Fiscal Year 2004. Retrieved 28 August 2007, from http://state.tn.us/youth. • Tennessee Department of Children's Services (n.d.). (2005, June). Annual Report Fiscal Year 2005. Retrieved 28 August 2007, from http://state.tn.us/youth. • Tennessee Department of Children's Services (n.d.). (2006, June). Annual Report Fiscal Year 2006. Retrieved 28 August 2007, from http://state.tn.us/youth. • Timmer, S., Urquiza, A., Herschell, A., McGrath, J., Zebell, N., Porter, A., et al. (2006, November/December). Parent-child interaction therapy: Application of an empirically supported treatment to maltreated children in foster care. Child Welfare, 85(6), 919-939. Retrieved September 1, 2007, from http://web.ebscohost.com.libdb.chattanoogastate.edu. • Wegar, K. (2000). Adoption, family ideology, and social stigma: Bias in community attitudes, adoption research, and practice. Family Relations, 49(4), 363-270. Retrieved September 11, 2007, from http://www.blackwell-synergy.com.proxy.lib.utc.edu. • Wertheimer, R. (2002, December). Youth who “age out” of foster care: Troubled lives, troubling prospects (Scarupa, H. J., Ed.). Child Trends. Retrieved 22 September 2007, from http://www.childtrends.org/files/FosterCareRB.pdf. • Whiting, J. B., Lee III. (2003). Voices from the system: A qualitative study of foster children's stories. Family Relations, 52, 288-295. Retrieved September 11, 2007, from http://www.blackwell-synergy.com.proxy.lib.utc.edu. • Wulczyn F., Lery, B., & Haight, J. (2006, December). Entry and exit disparities in the Tennessee foster care system (Center for Children at the University of Chicago, Ed.). Retrieved 9 September, 2007, from Chapin Hall: http://www.chapinhall.org. • PURPOSE/RATIONALE • Children who enter foster care often bring with them a myriad of problems relating to the assorted reasons for their entry. Such problems range from various types of abuse to death of the primary caregiver. These problems often present themselves as behavioral and/or emotional issues, to which the foster carer must deal. • In addition, this baggage is often carried into all aspects of the child's life, including school. When behavioral problems present themselves in the educational arena, the likelihood of suspension and/or expulsion are often the remedies for school officials. Members of this investigator's school cohort, suggest that school social workers are merely truancy officials, leaving counseling of children to school counselors, which more than likely have not had the training associated with social work values and ethics. • Farruggia, et. al, as well paraphrase Blome by stating that “[f]oster care youth are also far more likely than comparison youth to be placed in special education programs as a result of academic and/or emotional problems...” (p.350). This “special” placement, adds to the issues already present for foster children due to the stigmas associated these types of classes. While certainly special education classes are valuable to children with learning difficulties, many children in foster care have no real need.Placement in special education classes due to behavioral problems may have additional negative affects for children in foster care without learning disabilities. Too often, these behavioral problems leave these children behind, more often forcing these children to repeat classes, leaving the option of obtaining a GED as a preference to high school graduation ceremonies with classmates two to three years younger. • While literature is plentiful referencing behavioral problems in foster children, a significant gap is noted in the literature when combined with school success or failure. When behavior, race, and school are combined, very little literature is available. • It is necessary to note, that this study will be conducted in Hamilton County in the state of Tennessee, and the findings may not accurately represent all areas of the United States, or of the Southern states, including the entire state of STUDY PROCEDURES FOR IMPLEMENTATION AND DATA ANALYSIS STEPS Investigator will submit secondary data request form (CS 0542) to Tennessee Department of Children’s Services for quantitative study. Upon receipt, investigator will review quantitative structured secondary data, cleaning for necessary components stated previously as variables, and negating all identifying data. Investigator will review downloaded DCS Annual Reports from DCS website for relevant quantitative structured data, for years 2004 - 2006, cleaning for irrelevant data. Investigator will then compile this information according to analysis plan labels and as a final stage of data collection; investigator will enter data into SPSS program using nominal method of measurement. The study will be accomplished by utilizing a non-probability purposeful sampling, Quasi-Experimental post-test only design method.  Descriptive statistics will be run and entered into SPSS to check for data distribution and skewness. Utilizing nominal method of measurement, frequencies will be run to determine range of scores, mean of scores, and standard deviations for each group.  T- tests will be run to look for differences between the groups.  Subgroup analysis will be utilized to examine only the Hamilton County cases. For the first research question, a simple regression analysis will be run to predict whether race has an adverse effect on graduation rates. To answer the second question, a simple regression analysis will be run to predict whether adjudication reason delinquent, or unruly, has a higher probability of graduation failure rate. DESCRIPTION OF METHODS TO SELECT STUDY SAMPLE Secondary data received from the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services Database will be used for obtaining critical information pertaining to race, gender, entry and exit reason, adjudication reason, and educational levels at entry and exit, in effort to establish that race and adjudication reasons are detrimental to high school graduation. Relevant data will be identified and labeled according to variable as indicated on analysis plan (attached). Non-relevant information will be cleaned. All personally, identifying data will be cleaned. Utilizing the dependent variable graduation, independent variables will be used to include or exclude potential participants. These independent variables will include gender; race; discharge reason; adjudication reason; educational grade at entry and exit; graduation success or failure; and continuance to higher education.