© CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation L. Daisy Henderson Tel (716) ext 405 University at Buffalo, SUNY 430 Park Hall, Buffalo, New York,14260 Peter K. B. St. Jean, Assistant Professor Tel (716) ext 468 University at Buffalo, SUNY 430 Park Hall, Buffalo, New York,14260 Center of Development and Human Services

© CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation Exploring New Directions in Foster Care Placement Influencing Quality of Life of Children through Neighborhoods

© CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation Overview of Presentation  Importance  Method and Data  Findings  Implications  Questions and Discussion

© CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation Importance  Challenges faced by foster children  Children and families thrive best where both informal and formal networks exist  Quality of life in communities can be enhanced through informal networks such as neighborhood organizations

© CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation Importance  Case workers, foster parents and foster children use these resources  Block clubs more aware of foster children, parents in their neighborhoods and methods of assistance  How do the two unite?

© CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation Previous Sociological Research  Importance of family and strategies used to make a difference in lives of children  Emphasis on how social capital, informal social control mechanisms and social organization bear on children’s well-being  Collective efficacy  social cohesion among residents combined with trust, solidarity and a willingness to intervene on behalf of a common good

© CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation Methods  Data as of March 2005  Foster care placement in Erie County  Foster care placement in Buffalo, New York  Ethnographic Research on neighborhood organizations  U.S. Census

© CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation Question  How are foster children located in the City of Buffalo, NY in reference to various levels of collective efficacy and specific socioeconomic variables?

© CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation Findings: What are Block Clubs Task-specific neighborhood voluntary (not- for-profit) organizations created by community residents Organize to improve neighborhood quality of life issues and crime challenges Administer power to local citizens, instill a sense of pride and provide a mechanism for continuous social change Continuously involved in programs and projects and are unintentionally neglected resources

© CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation Foster Homes with Children Buffalo, New York Zip codes and have highest concentration of foster homes Zip codes 14222, 14202, 14203,14206, and have lowest concentration of foster homes

© CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation Foster Children and Block Clubs High concentration of block clubs in zip codes 14215, 14211,14213 and Low concentration of block clubs in zip codes 14202,14203, and Note zip code has few block clubs and foster children

© CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation Foster Children and Race

© CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation Race: Black and White

© CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation Foster Homes & Population

© CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation Income, Block Clubs & Foster Homes

© CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation Foster Children & White per Capita Income

© CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation Foster Children and Black per Capita Income

© CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation Age, Foster Homes and Block Clubs

© CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation Neighborhood Profiles  Most foster homes are concentrated within zip codes with middle and lower income African Americans (14215, and respectively).  Some foster homes are in neighborhoods with high concentrations of block clubs, while others are not.  The highest populated zip codes have different levels of foster home concentration.  Higher income zip codes have fewer block clubs and foster home concentration than middle and low income zip codes.

© CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation Implications and Future Research  Theoretical  Extending collective efficacy to include neighborhood well-being of foster children  Methodological  Longitudinal analysis in future research  Multi-methods  Policy  Recognize block clubs as a source for collective efficacy for a variety of reasons  Matching of children in their own neighborhoods

© CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation Questions and Discussion

© CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation Exploring New Directions in Foster Care Placement Influencing Quality of Life of Children through Neighborhoods