Former Foster Youth as Fathers: Risk and Protective Factors Predicting Father–Child Contact

This study uses longitudinal data from the Midwest Evaluation of the Adult Functioning of Former Foster Youth to examine father–child contact between fathers who aged out of foster care and their children (N = 287 children of 150 fathers). The authors examine the effect of remaining in foster care after age 18 and find that it is positively associated with father–child contact when fathers are age 26. Some of this relationship is explained by positive associations between remaining in care, employment, and men's coresidence with the child's mother, and a negative association with criminal conviction. Even among involved fathers, however, criminal convictions and unemployment are common. Findings suggest that extending care from age 18 to 21 benefits young men, and their children, when they become fathers. Child welfare policies and practice should attend to the needs of young men who become fathers, before and after they exit care.     

Perspectives of Foster Parents and Social Workers on Foster Placement Disruption

The potential human and financial costs of foster placement disruption for the children, families, professionals and agencies involved are widely accepted. This service evaluation identified and described perspectives of foster parents and social workers regarding placement disruptions in order to identify the main issues of concern and to derive lessons to inform practice. Postal questionnaires containing both quantitative and qualitative questions were sent to supervising social workers, field social workers and foster parents involved in the 36 non-kinship foster placement disruptions that occurred from 1 January 2009 to 31 December 2011 in one Health and Social Care Trust in Northern Ireland. In total, 107 questionnaires were sent out and the overall response rate was 62%. Multiple factors were involved in the disruptions, with the child's behaviour and contact with birth family being the greatest concerns, followed by attachment issues. Disruptions were more prevalent for adolescent placements, placements of less than one year duration and “new” foster parents. Views on communication between professionals and foster parents were generally encouraging. In the majority of cases the disruption was thought likely to have occurred even if any additional supports that could be envisaged could have been provided. Recommendations for practice include enhanced supervision and support for new foster parents, activity to value foster parents, the recording of disruption data, and development of a behaviour management training plan.     

Foster and Adoptive Parent Perspectives on Needs and Services: a Mixed Methods Study

Caring for children with complex needs severely stresses foster and adoptive parents, but few studies have examined their perspectives on needs and services. To examine parental views, the authors analyzed four focus groups (n = 27 participants) and one state-wide survey (n = 512 respondents, 42% of 1206 contacted) of foster and adoptive parents in one state. Results highlighted inadequate communication between providers and families, cultural and legal barriers, needs for parent training and preparation, the importance of several types of parent supports, and needs for specialized mental health treatment for the children. Surveyed parents identified children’s behavior problems as their top challenge, and over half rated the availability of mental health providers who treat attachment and family as insufficient. The findings suggest specific areas in which state leaders could enhance training and supports for child welfare staff and foster and adoptive parents and improve mental health services for children in foster and adoptive care.     

Parenting in Direct Provision: Parents' Perspectives Regarding Stresses and Supports

The Irish direct provision system for asylum seekers is acknowledged as providing a very challenging and exclusionary living environment for adults and children. To date, there has been little research focused specifically on the ways in which the direct provision environment impacts on the parenting role. This qualitative study explores the experiences of parenting in direct provision from the perspective of 16 people living in direct provision centres in the West of Ireland. The themes that emerged include challenges related to moral guidance and protection of children, basic care and nurturing, education and social development, financial stress and psychological well-being. Respondents also identified a range of formal, semi-formal and informal supports as critical to their ability to cope. Given that the parenting role is a critical influence on the well-being of children, the findings raise further concerns that the Irish system of direct provision is potentially damaging to the well-being of the children under its care.     

Farm-to-School Programs: Perspectives of School Food Service Professionals

ObjectiveThis qualitative study used a case study approach to explore the potential of farm-to-school programs to simultaneously improve children's diets and provide farmers with viable market opportunities.DesignSemistructured interviews were the primary data collection strategy.SettingSeven farm-to-school programs in the Upper Midwest and Northeast regions of the United States.ParticipantsSeven school food service professionals, 7 farmers, and 4 food distributors recruited from 7 farm-to-school programs.Phenomenon of InterestInterviews probed why farmers, school food service professionals, and food distributors participate in farm-to-school programs and how they characterize the opportunities and challenges to local school food procurement.AnalysisData were analyzed using thematic coding and data displays.ResultsSchool food service professionals described 3 motivators for buying locally grown food for their cafeterias: (1) “The students like it,” (2) “The price is right,” and (3) “We're helping our local farmer.” Students' preference for locally grown food was related to food quality, influence of school staff, and relationships with farmers. Buying food directly from farmers and wholesalers was associated with lower prices and flexible specifications, and the “local feel.”Conclusions and ImplicationsUnderstanding school food service professionals' motivations for buying locally grown food is critical to the sustainability of farm-to-school programs.     

Impact of Garden-Based Youth Nutrition Intervention Programs: A Review

Garden-based nutrition-education programs for youth are gaining in popularity and are viewed by many as a promising strategy for increasing preferences and improving dietary intake of fruits and vegetables. This review examines the scientific literature on garden-based youth nutrition intervention programs and the impact on nutrition-related outcomes. Studies published between 1990 and 2007 were identified through a library search of databases and an examination of reference lists of relevant publications. Studies were included if they involved children and adolescents in the United States and examined the impact of garden-based nutrition education on fruit and/or vegetable intake, willingness to taste fruits and vegetables, preferences for fruits and vegetables, or other nutrition-related outcomes. Only articles published in peer-reviewed journals in English were included in the review. Eleven studies were reviewed. Five studies took place on school grounds and were integrated into the school curriculum, three studies were conducted as part of an afterschool program, and three studies were conducted within the community. Studies included youth ranging in age from 5 to 15 years. Findings from this review suggest that garden-based nutrition intervention programs may have the potential to promote increased fruit and vegetable intake among youth and increased willingness to taste fruits and vegetables among younger children; however, empirical evidence in this area is relatively scant. Therefore, there is a need for well-designed, evidenced-based, peer-reviewed studies to determine program effectiveness and impact. Suggestions for future research directions, including intervention planning, study design, evaluation, and sustainability are provided.     

Cultural Differences in Residential Child and Youth Care: Analyzing Perspectives

In many Western-European countries, clients from ethnic minority groups form an increasingly large proportion of the client population of child and youth care centers. This development raises the question of how to respond to cultural differences between professionals and clients. In this article we discuss the concepts clinical reality, world view, and acculturation to provide a theoretical framework for studying the influence of cultural differences on the care and support process. We focus on Moroccan youth in Dutch residential youth care centers and present a case from our study to illustrate the theoretical issues raised.     

Youth Perspectives on Street Outreach Workers: Results from a Community-Based Survey

The United Teen Equality Center in Lowell, Massachusetts uses Street Outreach Workers (SWs) to intervene with individuals 13–23 years old who are involved in high risk behaviors or in need of assistance. Few studies have explored the perceptions of SWs by their target population (both individuals they have worked with and those who they have not yet worked with). To better understand how youth perceive the SWs and to contribute to the scant literature regarding their roles and impacts, we conducted a community-based survey to capture youth perspectives of, and experiences with SWs. Regardless of whether they had worked with a SW, youth respondents reported that their peers believed the SWs made Lowell a better place. Youth who had prior contact with a SW were more likely to respond that their peers view the SWs as helpful to youth and respected. Youth who had no prior contact with SWs were more likely to report that SWs were not present where they lived. Among youth who had worked with a SW 38% received help finding a job and 67% indicated that working with a SW made a difference in their lives. Approximately 82% of individuals who participated in mediation activities led by the SWs reported that it resolved their conflict. These results support the value of SWs in helping youth meet their needs and in mediating disputes. SWs should continue to connect with local agencies to address the needs of youth, especially employment, which was a priority.     

Thought Problems and Aggression Over Time Among Youth in Foster Care

Child & Youth Care Forum - Youth in foster care may demonstrate high levels of aggression and thought problems. There is a growing trend to consider mental health symptoms of youth involved...     

Community Youth Development Professionals: Providing the Necessary Supports in the United States

This paper explores the educational opportunities available to community youth development professionals in the United States. Given the complexity of the needs of today’s young people, it is both timely and prudent to increase the type, quality, and quantity of educational experiences available to community youth development professionals. Researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and funding agencies have all begun to explore the importance of providing educational opportunities to community youth development professionals. The findings of this investigation indicate a need for a comprehensive multidimensional educational system to provide community youth development professionals with the knowledge and skills essential to successfully meet the challenges they encounter in their daily work.Support for the work on this article has come from multiple sources. The authors wish to thank the National 4-H Council, United States, for their funding of this research. In addition, the authors wish to acknowledge of the support they received from the Agricultural Experiment Stations and Extension Services related to children, youth, and families of the University of Arizona and The Pennsylvania State University.     

Perspectives on State Title V Programs' Involvement in FIMR Programs

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this paper is to explore the involvement of state Title V programs in fetal and infant mortality review (FIMR) programs. METHODS: On the basis of information from four data sources, this article explores interactions among state Title V and FIMR programs, and considers recommendations regarding how these connections can be fostered for their mutual benefit. RESULTS: A brief history of state Title V engagement with FIMR programs is reviewed. Examples of state Title V-FIMR interactions are provided as suggestions for consideration by other states. CONCLUSIONS: Fetal and infant mortality review programs are, by design, local interventions, but there are many instances in which state Title V agencies can play roles in individual local, regional, or statewide FIMRs.     

Community-Based Prevention Programs for Anxiety and Depression in Youth: A Systematic Review

Little is known about the effectiveness of prevention and early intervention programs for young people and adolescents once they leave or dropout from school. The effectiveness of 18 anxiety and 26 depression studies addressing prevention in community programs were identified using systematic review methodology. Anxiety and depression symptoms were reduced in ~60% of the programs. Cognitive behavioral therapy programs were more common than other interventions and were consistently found to lower symptoms or prevent depression or anxiety. Automated or computerized interventions showed promise, with 60% of anxiety programs and 83% of depression programs yielding successful outcomes on at least one measure. Further research is needed to determine the active components of successful programs, to explore cost-effectiveness and scalability factors, to investigate individual predictors of successful outcome, and to design best practice prevention programs.     

Agricultural Occupational Health and Safety Perspectives Among Latino-American Youth

ABSTRACT

Agricultural work is one of the most dangerous jobs for adolescents. Through a university-community partnership, the authors surveyed young primarily acculturated Latino-American farmworkers 14 to 18 years of age regarding their agricultural work experience. Topics included occupational health and safety education, work history, and information sources. The authors also evaluated the Rapid Clinical Assessment Tool (RCAT), a pictorial tool for identifying agricultural tasks to enhance discussion with clinical providers. One hundred forty youth with farmwork experience completed the survey; 6% reported a previous work-related injury or illness and 53% reported receiving some workplace health and safety training. Correct identification of legally restricted duties for youth varied but were generally low: participants identified working alone past 8 pm (57%), driving a forklift (56%), doing roofing work (39%), working in freezers (34%), and driving a delivery vehicle (30%). The Internet was identified as the most likely and reliable place youth would go to find information on workplace health and safety. Few (15%) reported clinician-initiated conversations on occupational health; however, a high proportion responded positively to questions regarding the usefulness of the RCAT for this purpose. This study highlights the need for workplace health and safety guidance for youth employed in agriculture. The results support Internet-based outreach and use of the RCAT to help facilitate occupational health discussions in clinical settings.     

Evaluation of Community Programs for Early Childhood Development: Parental Perspectives and Recommendations

Maternal and Child Health Journal - Objectives Optimal early childhood development is crucial for promoting positive child health outcomes. Community programs supporting child development are...     

Addressing Child Support in Fatherhood Programs: Perspectives of Fathers and Service Providers

This qualitative study explores the views that low‐income fathers and fatherhood service providers have of the child support system and how these perceptions shape the provision of and men's engagement in fatherhood services. Focus groups and individual interviews were conducted with 36 fathers, and telephone interviews with 19 fatherhood service providers. Four themes emerged about perceptions of the child support system: imposing unrealistic financial demands, criminalizing low‐income men, discounting paternal viewpoints, and evidencing responsible parenting. A further four themes were concerned with the relationship between the child support system and fatherhood programs: hindering wider service utilization, encouraging engagement, educating and advocating, and reframing child support. Overall the findings suggest that though child support obligations can place a substantial financial and psychological burden on low‐income men, fatherhood programs have a valuable role to play in supporting noncustodial fathers in paying child support as one part of their wider paternal role.     

Mentoring Youth at High Risk: The Perspectives of Professional Mentors

Background

Youth mentoring programs rely largely on volunteers, but youth facing significant risks may be poor candidates for volunteer-based interventions. Full-time “professional” mentors in highly structured programs may be better suited to partner effectively with such youth and their families, but few studies examine professional mentoring interventions. Because of mentoring’s inherent flexibility, mentors’ role conceptualizations can profoundly influence the nature of their work. Serving as a professional mentor may have important implications for how mentors conceptualize and perform their role.

Objective

This qualitative study examined the role conceptions of professional mentors serving at-risk youth.

Methods

Semi-structured interviews with mentors were transcribed, coded, and subjected to thematic analysis.

Results

Mentors described the importance of “professionalism” in prioritizing mentoring, expending considerable effort, and performing difficult or unpleasant tasks. They reported that serving multiple children full-time enabled them to rapidly build expertise, that credibility and authority granted them because of their professional status facilitated their work across multiple key contexts, and that their expertise and long-term commitment facilitated the development of deep relationships. Mentors perceived their role as highly challenging but reported high self-efficacy. They described high multifaceted organizational support, a community for youth, and an individualized child focus.

Conclusions

A mentoring model delivered by experienced professional mentors may hold promise for working with youth at high risk. The role conceptualizations of mentors and the organizational culture within which mentors work may be important in helping youth succeed.