McKibben, Sherry A.E
(1994)
Patterns of foster care in Saskatchewan: The impact on the family connections and the early adult lives of careleavers.
MPhil thesis, London School of Economics and Political Science.
Abstract
This study of former foster children from Saskatchewan examines three aspects of their circumstances: their care experience, Kinship, and early adult lives. Data collection took place between 1985-1986. Using the children's files, the care careers of 206 children born between January 1964 and July 1966 were detailed. Ninety-one were interviewed, 67% of whom were of Native ancestry. These children were brought into care with their siblings because of a cycle of neglect, alcohol abuse, abandonment and marital difficulties. The children averaged 9.7 placements in 10.9 years in care. Factors linked to placement instability were: number of admissions, race, in-care abuse, inappropriate care, and education. Educational achievement was low. Approximately half of the young people used Saskatchewan's post-care educational financial support provisions. These young people had not experienced placement instability, inappropriate care, and ear1y independence. Three kinds of abuse -- physical, sexual, and exploitation -- were experienced in-care by 27% of the interviewees. An additional 32% described aspects of their care as inappropriate, including excessive punishment, neglect, inequitable treatment and inappropriate placements. Social workers never acted to protect the chi1dren-in-care from abuse. Despite these difficulties, 57% assessed their care as 'good' and 85% said being in care had either improved their lives or had had no effect. These careleavers were doing less well than their non-care peers. They had an unemployment rate of 42.5%; high income assistance receipt; were less 'happy'; and 42% of the women's children - 57% of the men's -- were being reared by others. It was argued a care-poverty-care cycle had been established. An outcome profile was developed which showed the Native interviewees fared particularly poorly. The lowest quartile were described as 'The Troubled Twenty'; the circumstances of those in the third quartile were precarious. Those individuals in the top half were managing well. The relationship factors associated with a better outcome were: frequent foster family contact at interview; the presence of friends in early adulthood; and either no biological family contact or else regular family contact while in-care. The careleavers who had experienced good quality care maintained foster family relationships into adulthood.
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