@article{ebbf565d2d944f0a81fe9c07b473da4f,
title = "Predicting Permanency Intentions Among Kinship Caregivers",
abstract = "This study examines kinship caregivers' (n = 830) experiences and their perceptions of the children (n = 1,339) in their care in order to predict permanency intent. Permanency intent is a caregiver's expressed intent to adopt the child in his or her care or to provide permanent, legal guardianship. The results of this study reveal that most caregivers' permanency choice is guardianship and not adoption. However, binary logistic regression results uncovered six factors (i. e., thorough explanation of case plans, decreases in caregiver emotional stress, decreases in child depression, child lack of communication with birth parent, caregiver providing care for a sibling group, decreases in run-away behavior) that predict that a caregiver will adopt the child in his or her care. Policy, practice, and research implications are noted.",
keywords = "Adoption, Child well-being, Guardianship, Kinship care, Permanency",
author = "Denby, {Ramona W.}",
note = "Funding Information: The setting for this university Institutional Review Board (IRB)-approved study was a US southwestern state. The data collection site was one of the nine federal demonstration projects funded by the US Children{\textquoteright}s Bureau{\textquoteright}s Improving Child Welfare Outcomes through Systems of Care Demonstration Initiative. Data were derived from a multiphase needs assessment that was conducted of a statewide sample (n = 830) of relative caregivers and the children (n = 1,339) in their care. Funding Information: The majority of the caregivers were employed (47%), female (90%), and grandparents (60%). They were supported by the TANF Non-needy Caretaker Program or the TANF Program (74%) and their annual income was $30,000 or less (72%). The mean age for the caregivers was 52. The largest group of caregivers in this sample were African Americans (28%) followed by the next largest group which was European Americans (23%). Latino (a) caregivers comprised 8% of the sample, Native Americans were 14% and Asian Americans were 2% (about 25% of the sample did not disclose their ethnicity). Over half (52%) of the caregivers were unmarried (i.e., single, separated, or divorced). In terms of the caregivers{\textquoteright} educational background, 36% had a high school diploma or a high school equivalent (i.e., GED) while 17% reported not completing high school. Thirty six percent of the sample indicated that they have attended college. Over half (54%) of the sample lived in government housing or rented their place of residence. Forty two percent of the sample was homeowners. The caregivers were for the most part urban residents (88%) and about half (51%) were caring for more than one child. In terms of the children{\textquoteright}s characteristics, the average age for this sample was nine and slightly more than half (52%) were male. The mean number of years the children had been in the caregiver{\textquoteright}s care was 4.72 and about half of the caregivers (49%) reported that the children{\textquoteright}s contact with their biological parents was intermittent while nearly a fourth (22%) of the caregivers indicated that the children in their care had no contact with their parents. A sizeable number (42%) of the children in this sample received some level of support from TANF. About half (49%) of the caregivers reported that the children in their care were considered to have {\textquoteleft}{\textquoteleft}special needs.{\textquoteright}{\textquoteright} Funding Information: Acknowledgments This research was supported by grant funding from the State of Nevada Division of Child and Family Services and the Clark County Department of Family Services. I wish to thank all of the individuals who devoted their time and talent to the research and evaluation efforts that supported the development of this article, including: Chris Kordus, Constance Brooks, Nancy Downey, Alicia Crowther, Jesse Russell, and Renee Brown. Copyright: Copyright 2011 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.",
year = "2011",
month = apr,
doi = "10.1007/s10560-010-0221-x",
language = "English (US)",
volume = "28",
pages = "113--131",
journal = "Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal",
issn = "0738-0151",
publisher = "Springer New York",
number = "2",
}