The Relationship Between Foster Parent Training and Outcomes for Looked After Children in Canada

1. The Relationship Between Foster Parent Training and Outcomes for Looked After Children in Canada Jordanna J. Nash & Robert J. Flynn School of Psychology University of Ottawa Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Centre for Research on Educational and Community Services

2. BackgroundPlacement Stability • Placement stability for children in care is important • Placement breakdowns are an issue • Child behaviour problems are associated with placement breakdowns • A cause • A consequence

3. BackgroundFoster Parenting • Foster parents need to be prepared to deal with children’s behaviour • Foster parent training critical for preparation for the foster parenting role

4. BackgroundResearch on Foster Parent Training • Foster parent training has been the focus of very little research • Little empirical support for foster parent training programs

5. Purpose • An exploratory study • Research questions, no hypotheses • Expected training to have a mild, positive effect on child outcomes

6. Research Questions (1) Any association between more types of training and positive child outcomes? (2) Any association between more LAC training and positive child outcomes? (3)Is LAC, PRIDE, College, Other training associated with more positive child outcomes than agency-specific training?

7. Sample • Provincial database for Ontario Looking After Children (OnLAC) Project • Analyzed 445 AAR-C2 Assessment and Action Records (Second Canadian Adaptation; AAR-C2)

8. SampleFoster children • Ages 10 to 17 • Mean age 13 • Time in placement 0 to 15 years • Mean length 4 years

9. SampleFoster parents • Years of fostering 0 to 59 years • Mean experience 9 years

10. Method • Foster child outcomes examined included: • Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) • emotional and behavioural difficulties • 20 items • foster parent report • Internal developmental assets • children’s strengths • 20-item scale • child welfare worker report

11. Method • Foster child outcomes examined included: • Relationship with female caregiver • 4-item scale • child report • Relationship with male caregiver • 4-item scale • child report • Satisfaction with current placement • 9-item scale • child report

12. Method • Control variables entered into analysis included: • Foster placement variables: • foster parent gender • years fostering • years child had lived in current placement • Foster child variables: • foster child gender • foster child age

13. Method • Variables entered into analysis included: • Training variables: 3 models • Number of types of foster parent training • Amount of LAC foster parent training • LAC, PRIDE, College, ‘Other’ training VS. Agency-specific training

16. ResultsStrengths and Difficulties Questionnaire • Boys had higher total difficulties scores • Older children had lower total difficulties scores

17. ResultsStrengths and Difficulties Questionnaire Foster parents more types of training  child more total difficulties

18. ResultsStrengths and Difficulties Questionnaire Foster parents more LAC training  child more total difficulties

19. ResultsInternal Developmental Assets • Boys had fewer internal assets • Children who had resided in their current placement longer had more internal assets

20. ResultsInternal Developmental Assets Foster parents more types of training  child fewer internal assets

21. ResultsInternal Developmental Assets Foster parents with LAC training  child fewer internal assets

22. ResultsRelationship with female caregiver • More positive relationships if: • Female foster parent present for AAR • Female child • Children in current placement longer • Older children reported less positive relationships

23. ResultsRelationship with male caregiver • Older children reported less positive relationships • Children in placement longer reported more positive relationships

24. ResultsPlacement satisfaction • Children in their current placement longer reported higher placement satisfaction

25. Conclusions • A consistent, mild effect of training was found • However, the effect was in the opposite direction than expected

26. Interpretation • Training may have a sensitizing effect on foster parents’ perceptions • Training makes foster parents better detectors and reporters

27. Implications • For practice: • Practitioners, program developers, and trainers should be aware of this sensitizing effect

28. Implications • For research: • Formally trained foster parents’ reports of child difficulties may differ from other reports

29. Implications • For policy: • Policy makers should be choosing to implement evidence-based training programs

30. References Dorsey, S., Farmer, E. M. Z., Barth, R. P., Greene, K., Reid, J., & Landsverk, J. (In press). Current status and evidence base of training for foster and treatment foster parents, Children and Youth Services Review. Newton, R. R., Litrownik, A. J., & Landsverk, J. A. (2000). Children and youth in foster care: Disentangling the relationship between problem behaviors and number of placements. Child Abuse and Neglect, 24, 1363-1374. Palmer, S. E. (1996). Placement stability and inclusive practice in foster care: An empirical study. Children and Youth Services Review, 18, 589-601. Perkins-Mangulabnan, J., & Flynn, R. J. (2006). Foster parenting practices and foster youth outcomes. In R. J. Flynn, P. M. Dudding, & J. G. Barber (Eds.), Promoting resilience in child welfare. (pp. 231-247). Ottawa, ON: Ottawa University Press. Rodwell, M. K., & Biggerstaff, M. A. (1993). Strategies for recruitment and retention of foster families. Children and Youth Services Review, 15, 403-419. Staff, I., & Fein, E. (1995). Stability and change: Initial findings in a study of treatment foster care placements. Children and Youth Services Review, 17, 379-389. Turner, W., MacDonald, G.M., & Dennis, J.A. (2007). Behavioural and cognitive behavioural training interventions for assisting foster carers in the management of difficult behaviour. The Campbell Collaboration.

31. Thank you for your attention Questions and comments are welcomed