During 2001 and 2002, several data analyses on foster care and adoption issues
were conducted for ASPE based on the Multi-State Foster Care Data Archive
maintained by the Chapin Hall Center for Children at the University of Chicago.
The following papers are available in this series:
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Foster Care Dynamics in Urban and Non-Urban
Counties (February 2002)
This paper examines differences between large urban areas, smaller urban
areas and non-urban areas in their use of foster care. It looks at placement
rates, child demographic characteristics and childrens placement histories
to understand how childrens needs and program operations interact to
produce differences in foster care experiences. The analysis finds that child
welfare systems in large urban areas show very different patterns of foster
care utilization than do other urban areas. These other urban areas look
more like non-urban areas in their service provision patterns. In addition,
the foster care placement of large numbers of African American infants seems
to be the primary feature distinguishing care patterns in large urban foster
care programs from those observed elsewhere.
-
Growth in the Adoption Population
(March 2002)
This paper explores the possible impact of recent federal policy changes
on the future size of the adoption population that is, children
adopted from foster care. Results are presented from a simulation model that
uses data from Chapin Halls Multistate Foster Care Data Archive to
project the size of the adoption population and the number of children in
foster care for the next 20 years. In particular, the sensitivity of the
projected size of the adoption population to changes in adoption rates and
the number of children entering foster care in the future is examined. The
analysis shows that in the next few years, most likely between 2004 and 2006,
the number of children receiving adoption assistance will exceed the number
of children in foster care. Further, the adoption population will continue
to be larger than the foster care population well into the future, unless
there are unusually dramatic changes in the number of foster care admissions.
-
Adoption Dynamics: The Impact of the Adoption
and Safe Families Act (August 2002)
Using data from the Multistate Foster Care Data Archive, this study looks
at what effects, if any, the Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA) has had
on the proportion of children admitted to foster care who were later adopted
and the time needed to complete those adoptions. The analyses support four
main conclusions: (1) it is too soon to say whether ASFA had an impact on
the likelihood of adoption; (2) time to adoption has sped up in recent years,
a trend that began pre-ASFA and continued post-ASFA; and (3) evidence available
thus far suggests that the time to reunification has slowed since ASFA.
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Adoption Dynamics: Comparative Results for
Subpopulations (November 2002)
Using data from the Multistate Foster Care Data Archive, this study examines
whether, as the pace of adoptions accelerated during the 1990s, certain
demographic subpopulations experienced more change than others. The interest
in subgroups reflects a desire to better understand differences that define
the experiences of children within the foster care system. The analysis finds
that (1) all subgroups reflected an increased likelihood of adoption per
unit time; (2) children from urban areas, African-American children, and
children living in kinship homes experienced the greatest increases in the
likelihood of adoption; and (3) African-American children from urban areas
living in kinship homes showed the most significant change of all, although
these children continue to move more slowly to adoption than other children.
To obtain printed copies of these reports, send or fax the title and your
mailing information to:
Human Services Policy, Room 404E
Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Av, SW
Washington, DC 20201
Fax: (202) 690-6562
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Last updated: 05/02/03