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Parent-child contact in out-of-home placement: Implications for practice and policy change.

Barbara Friesen
Center on Family Support and Children's Mental Health
1912 S.W. 6th Ave.
Portland OR 97201-0751
503 725 4166
FAX: 503 725 4180
frieseb@rri.pdx.edu

Jean Kruzich
School of Social Work
U of Washington
4101 15th Ave. N.E.
Seattle WA 98105
206 543-7965
FAX: 206 543- 1228
kruzichj@u.washington.edu

Pauline Jivanjee
Research & Training Center
Portland State U.
1912 S.W. 6th Ave.
Portland OR 97201

PURPOSE: To present background information and findings from a study of out-of-home care for children with serious emotional disorders. This paper will focus on data regarding contact between children and their families in light of existing accreditation and practice standards.

METHODS: Data were collected from a national sample of family members whose children who were receiving mental health treatment This analysis focuses on the issue of parent-child contact for the sub-sample of families (n=105) whose children were in psychiatric hospitals, group homes, or residential treatment centers.

FINDINGS: Respondents were largely biological or adoptive mothers who had custody of their children, and were relatively affluent and well educated. Children ranged in age from 7-21; most had multiple psychiatric diagnoses, and 73% were male.

Overall, we found that many practices regarding parent-child contact are inappropriate according to accreditation and practice standards. Fifty-seven percent of families reported that contact with their child was limited for an initial "period of adjustment" upon entry. Sixty-five percent reported that contact with their child was contingent either on their child's behavior (59%), group behavior (16.2%), or the parent's participation in educational or therapeutic activities (12.4%). Beyond the initial period of adjustment, respondents indicated other restrictions on frequency of contact. Analysis included relationship of custody status, child's age, and use of levels systems to limitations on contact.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The goals of promoting positive relationships between children and their families may be undermined by behavior and group care management strategies(VanderVen,1995). Redressing these problems will require training and culture change in many treatment organizations. Opportunities for the use of research findings for policy change require relationships with advocacy organizations and broad dissemination to insure that research findings are known to constituencies that can use them.