1. Program Evaluation - Reunification of Foster Children with their Families: NYS Office of Children and Family Services, Division of Child Care Evelyn Jones, Public Administration· Suparna Soni, Project Advisor Literature Review When children reunify with families, a risk for reentry to care or recurrence of maltreatment exists (Kimberlin, 2009). Several key correlates have been identified in an effort to conduct research that will assist in the identification of factors that contribute to failed reunification outcomes: race/ethnicity, family income, age, gender, and placement type. African American children are overrepresented in the foster care system compared to their numbers in the population. Jones (1998) found that minority and low income children continue to be poorly served by the child welfare system and are more likely to re-enter care. Financial instability often forces parents to rely on public assistance programs. In 1996, the federal government passed the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act in an effort to promote self-sufficiency among the poor. Possible negative consequences include decreases in total family income, increases in reports of child maltreatment, increases in numbers of children entering the public child welfare system and foster care, and for those in foster care, slower rates at which Introduction The Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997 (AFSA) was enacted in an attempt to correct problems that stemming from The Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980 (AACWA). AFSA shifted emphasis towards children's health and safety concerns and away from a policy of reuniting children with their birth parents. Family Reunification continues to be the desired outcome of social service agencies when a child is removed from the home due to safety concerns. Unfortunately, a substantial number of family reunification efforts fail and children are forced to re- enter care. The purpose of this study is to identify and examine the factors that contribute to, and explain failed reunification outcomes in the State of New York. Jones, L. (1998). The social and family correlates of successful reunification of children in foster care. Children and Youth Services Review, 20(4), 305-323 Kimberlin, S. E., Anthony, E. K., & Austin, M. J. (2009). Re-entering foster care: Trends, evidence, and implications. Children and Youth Services Review, (31), 471–481. (2009). Re-entering foster care: Trends, evidence, and implications. Children and Youth Services Review, 471–481. Landsverk, J., Davis, I., Ganger, W., Newton, R., & Johnson, I. (1996). Impact of child psychosocial functioning on reunification from out-of- home placement. Children and Youth Services Review, 18(4-5), 447- 462. Wells, K., & Guo, S. (1999). Reunification and reentry of foster children. Children and Youth Services Review, 21(4), 273-294. Works Cited Research Design This study will use a quantitative design utilizing data sets from The NYS Office of Children and Family Services and The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (http://cwoutcomes.acf.hhs.gov/data/). Descriptive Statistics will be calculated to describe the study’s independent variables (race/ethnicity, age, gender, family income, treatment for behavioral health concerns, length of time in care, and placement type) in terms of centrality and variability. Inferential statistics will utilize both Pearson’s r (association and prediction) and multiple regression (the extent to which the explanatory variables can explain the outcome (rentry or reunification). Literature Review (Cont.) children return home and faster rates at which reunified children reenter care (Wells & Guo, 1999). Age was positively correlated with reentry. While infant reunification rates tend to be higher than other age groups, re-enter Infant reunification rates also tend to be higher than other age groups. Kimberlin (2009) found that youths exiting foster care are at a high level of risk for reentry into care experiencing multiple placements within the Child Welfare System (CWS) and are at risk for developmental problems such as delinquency, behavioral problems and academic failure. Landsverk, Davis, Ganger, Newton, and Johnson (1996), found that children with emotional and behavioral problems were only half as likely to be reunited with their families. Sample Selection Sample Selection All cases in the NYS database. Data Collection and Instruments