Thesis (Ph.D.)--Memorial University of Newfoundland, 2003. / Bibliography: leaves 115-125.

Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 1993. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 106-112) Also available in print.

Thesis (D.A.)--Illinois State University, 1999. / Title from title page screen, viewed July 24, 2006. Dissertation Committee: M. Paul Holsinger (chair), L. Moody Simms, Lawrence W. McBride. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 182-198) and abstract. Also available in print.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, San Diego and San Diego State University, 2007. / Title from first page of PDF file (viewed May 29, 2007). Available via ProQuest Digital Dissertations. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 88-95).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Canterbury, 2005. / Typescript (photocopy). Includes bibliographical references (p. 296-315). Also available via the World Wide Web.

Thesis (M.S.P.H.)--University of South Florida, 2008. / Title from PDF of title page. Document formatted into pages; contains 77 pages. Includes bibliographical references.

abstract: ABSTRACT Research suggests that there are benefits of early intervention and in focusing on mental health for infants and toddlers who have been maltreated. Court Teams for Infants and Toddlers is a model program designed to improve developmental outcomes using a systemic change approach. Multi-system collaboration between the courts, child welfare, health professionals, child advocates, and community partners are promoted to increase awareness and improve outcomes for infants and toddlers who have been removed from their parents. The Court Teams model in Arizona is known as Best for Babies. This study looks at implementation efforts of Best for Babies in two counties, Yavapai and Pima, and the unique perspectives of foster parents and attorneys representing the infants and toddlers while in the foster care system. It is important for purposes of effective program implementation to understand whether the Best for Babies program has impacted how these stakeholders address the unique needs of infants and toddlers. Findings reveal that most foster parents in this study were not familiar with the Best for Babies program; however, many of the comments shared are aligned with the values of the program. For example, all participants commented that collaboration among various stakeholders is necessary. Areas of opportunity were also illustrated in the findings regarding Best for Babies program implementation. For instance, the study found that even those foster parents familiar with the program could not attribute an impact on their care of infants and toddlers specifically to Best for Babies. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.S.W. Social Work 2011

Internalizing problems are prevalent in childhood and adolescence in both community and out-of-home populations. Internalizing symptoms are frequently associated with problems in other areas of functioning as well. For children in out-of-home care, who face additional adversities such as maltreatment and witnessing traumatic events, internalizing problems have shown increased prevalence while less frequently addressed in research. The current studies used longitudinal data collected across 7 years from a sample of 1,765 children, 5 to 14 years old, in out-of-home care in Maryland, USA. Data consisted mainly of Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) assessments, as well as demographic information (age, sex, and race/ethnicity) and out-of-home placement type. In Study 1 we examined the trajectories of anxiety and depression across age and time in care separately and evaluated a comprehensive model of resilience for each outcome using hierarchical linear modeling. This exploratory model included both indicators of internal resilience (i.e. cognitive, emotional, spiritual, physical, behavioural) and environmental risk and resilience factors (i.e. family, acculturation, community, placement, school functioning, social functioning) related to internalizing problems in children and adolescents. Results showed anxiety was fairly stable over time in care and age, with few significant predictors aside from already well-known risk factors. Depression results showed a slight increase across age and decrease across time in care with several more significant predictors than the anxiety model. While both models showed overlap in predictors, they also included predictors unique to each outcome. In Study 2 we examined the reciprocal relationships across time between anxiety, depression, and significant risk and protective factors from Study 1. Using time lagged hierarchical linear models we found few significant relationships related to anxiety, and largely unidirectional relationships between depression and relevant factors over time. Two factors, traumatic stress and placement in residential treatment care, displayed reciprocal relationships with depression over time. However, our results largely did not support the direct resilience feedback mechanisms proposed between variables for either outcome, but revealed other possible mechanisms at work (i.e. dual cascades developmental model) to explain maladaptation towards depression in particular, but also anxiety. Findings are discussed in terms of theoretical implications, future research directions, and applied implications for prevention/intervention programs for internalizing problems for children in out-of-home care.

This overarching chapter for a PhD by publication brings together a programme of research that commenced in 2000 and includes a series of eight publications (from 2006-2014) that have been selected to demonstrate the development of a theoretical framework and research methods to explore the relationship between the needs, costs and outcomes of child welfare services provided to vulnerable children and their families. The findings provide an insight into how children s social care services can be provided as effectively and efficiently as possible. Along with an understanding of how and when support and services are, or can be, provided to vulnerable children and their families, in response to their specific needs and circumstances and consequently transform children s lives by improving outcomes.

Objectives: Youth who age out of the child welfare system are among the most vulnerable group of young people entering adulthood today. Unlike their generational peers, foster youth lack the familial supports necessary to postpone major life decisions and gradually enter adulthood. Although there are notable differences between Canadian and American child welfare contexts, young people exiting both systems experience a compressed transition and are tasked with quickly managing adult responsibilities. Few studies have examined pre-transition factors that correlate with adolescents’ readiness skills prior to exiting out-of-home care. Methods: This dissertation presents two studies that examine factors associated with transition-age foster youths’ readiness skills for adulthood. In the first study I used cross-sectional data (n = 278) from Illinois, United States to assess the impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on youths’ independent living skills and life domain functioning. I hypothesized that exposure to ACEs would predict lower transition readiness, and that trauma-related stress symptoms and strengths would moderate this association. In the second study I used cross-sectional data (n = 1,026) from Ontario, Canada to identify youth-, placement-, and agency-level factors that predicted youths’ self-care and financial literacy skills. I hypothesized that factors most proximal to individuals would impact readiness (e.g., academic performance, self-esteem). Results: Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that ACEs predicted lower transition readiness. Traumatic stress symptoms moderated these relations, and engagement in risky behaviours partially mediated these relations (study 1). Hierarchical linear modelling indicated that agency-level differences did not impact readiness. In contrast, general linear modelling indicated that a subset of individual- and placement-level factors did impact readiness. Specifically, higher academic performance, higher self-esteem, a greater number of developmental assets, older age, an older age of entry into care, a greater number of placement transitions, and kinship care placement predicted higher transition readiness. A greater number of socioemotional difficulties, a greater number of long-term mental and/or physical health conditions, and a lower frequency of problematic parenting practices combined with a higher frequency of effective parenting practices predicted lower transition readiness (study 2). Conclusion: Findings illustrated that although ACEs exposure predicts lower adult readiness among transition-age youth, whether youth engage in risky behaviours and possess developmental strengths may be better predictors of their readiness to age out of care (study 1). Findings also illustrated that a subset of individual- and placement-level factors predict self-sufficiency skills among transition-age youth (study 2).