This study is concerned with the social workers ways of communicating with children in foster placement and related situations. It examines what, exactly, is communicated to the child by the social worker, operating within Agency policy and structure; and the effect that this communication has on the child's ability to respond to placement as treatment. It is concerned, also, with the various methods by which the child's needs are communicated to the social worker; and the ways in which the worker responds to those needs, with special emphasis on when, how, and why the social worker communicates directly with the child. The study proceeds from a review of some of the recent literature on semantics as well as recent child welfare literature. This is supplemented by material gathered from interviews with twelve professionally-trained social workers, currently employed in child welfare work in and near Vancouver, and illustrated with brief summaries of six cases from their practice. The workers were interviewed with the purpose of ascertaining from them: what they judged to be the more effective ways they had found of communicating with children; their definition of the use they make of direct communication with children, indirect communication through parents or foster parents, and of joint interviewing; what they see as their particular contribution to the child in the placement situation; and some of the difficulties they encounter in performing their work. The results point up the differences between children and adults, and the effects of these differences on methods of communication. They emphasize the treatment aspect of placement, and the importance of structure, plan, and clear definition of treatment goals in order to enable the worker to channel her communications, both to the child and on behalf of the child, toward establishing hope and confidence in the possible achievement of those goals. It indicates a need for further study of communication and casework, with some implications for further refining the definition of the scope and limits of the casework method. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

This thesis is an examination of an individual, long-term foster home which served a large child placement agency until a few years ago. The foster home was regarded by agency workers as an eminently successful one, both quantitatively and qualitatively particularly with adolescent boys, who are placement problems for any child-placing agency. The study was undertaken as an investigation into the reasons for the foster home's success with adolescent boys, in order to provide a point of departure for more controlled scientific study in the future. The study was done at the Vancouver Children's Aid Society, one of several agencies of its kind in Canada which is responsible for foster home and other forms of placement planning for many children who come into its care, and for the administration of various statutes related to the protection of children. The study includes: 1. An account of the historical development of foster home placement practice, an account of the needs and problems of children (with particular reference to those who require foster home care), and a description of the agency in which the study took place; 2. A survey of the children placed la the foster home and a qualitative study of the foster home, focussing on the twenty-one-year period of its active service to the agency; 3. An examination of the agency's case records of the foster children, their own families, and the foster family. Additional material for the study was obtained from Interviews with the foster mother, her own two children, and four of her former foster children. This study sought to examine the foster home in order to provide some formulation of the dynamics of a good foster home, particularly for adolescent boys. The findings suggest a number of important factors to be sought in any such foster home, including steady and consistent affection for all children, foster and own, an assumption of adult humility, interest, responsibility and leadership on the part of the foster parents, and the Importance of strong community roots for the foster home. These findings, in addition to having implications for future research, may provide a basis for a further refinement of diagnostic efficiency in the agency's future foster home placement programs. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

Issues in foster home recruitment and maintenance in a child-placing agency are considered in this thesis. References are made to literature about the historical development of the foster home method of child care and this includes the set-up of the Children's Aid Society of Vancouver. There is the recognition that foster home placement is not the only plan for each child in agency care but that it is one important answer. Placement problems are raised and discussed. Specific factors in the closing of 100 foster homes are examined and the reasons are discussed. Records of 100 closed used foster homes are studied from the standpoints of reasons for closing, motives for boarding children, length of time of service, and number of children placed. A comparison is made of the number of homes closed for avoidable and unavoidable reasons and tables are drawn up to illustrate the factors examined. Case illustrations are used from Children's Aid Society records. The study found that approximately one-third of the homes closed for practical reasons while two-thirds closed for reasons bearing further examination. The largest group closed because of non-acceptance of foster children and their families, and the next largest group closed because of the difficult behaviour of foster children. A considerable number decided they wanted children on a more permanent basis than foster home placement. Over half of the closed homes served the Agency less than one year and a little less than half boarded only one child before closing. A large group stated their original motives for boarding a child as "company for own only child." Conclusions reached about foster homes are around three basic topics; namely the recruitment of homes, the home study, and placement practices. The most important factor in getting good foster homes is a better selection of applicants in the first place. This can more easily be done by treating foster parenthood as a job with preparation and satisfying remuneration. A thorough home study can be facilitated when there is a better selection of homes from which to choose and when skilled, experienced homefinders have ample time to complete the study satisfactorily. With this groundwork good follow-up placement practices such as pre-placement conferences and casework service after placement should do much to recruit and maintain a higher standard of foster homes. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

This thesis is an examination of foster home finding methods in a large child-placing agency. The study was undertaken as an investigation into the causes of dissatisfaction and difficulties experienced by agencies in their efforts to achieve a good standard of care for their children through the medium of foster homes. It is also a consideration of the manner in which the case work approach in home finding can be brought to bear on the amelioration of these problems. The agency in which the study was done, the Children' Aid Society of Vancouver, B.C., is typical of several in this country wherein the agency is committed to planning for several hundreds of children who come into its care through the administration of the various statutes related to the protection of children. It cannot be compared to small specialized agencies giving service to a selected clientele. The study includes: 1. An account of the development of the use of foster homes in child placement, and the use of case work method in this. 2. Review of social work philosophy and how it may be applied by the administration and personnel of an agency in home finding. 3. An examination of the agency's actual case records of foster home studies. The information sought was a comprehensive knowledge of the job of home finding through professional literature and observation of practice. The findings would support the contention that professional case work disciplines could be applied with greater effort, and that there is need for more emphasis on the part which foster home finding plays in a total child care program. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

This study is concerned with the problem of multiple placement s of foster children, i. e., children who are placed in more than one foster home while they are in the care of a protective agency. Children become "wards" of such societies if there is no possibility of their leading normal, happy, and emotionally secure lives within their own homes. The agencies provide foster home care as a substitute home to give them the care they were not able to obtain in their own homes. But frequent replacement prevents many foster children from gaining security and healthy development due to lack of attachment to a family. The study shows that thirty-nine out of the fifty children in the sample were placed in more than one foster home during their period of care by a children's aid society. The average number of foster homes for the total group was 3.52 homes per child, which means that a child remained in each foster home for a period of 2.08 years, on the average. The study was based on the records of foster children from both of Vancouver's children's aid societies, the sample being selected on a one-in-four basis from all children falling within certain definitions: (l) children who had been in the care of one of the agencies at least two years; (2) children of the white race; (3) children now in the "latency" stage of development; i. e. between the ages of seven and twelve years. The material utilized includes the files kept by the agencies, regarding each individual child, his family and the foster homes. The sample was grouped into four divisions according to the number of placements the children have had. Group A with a single foster home placement only, representing the ideal in child placement; Group B with two foster home placements; Group C a clear multiple placement problem, with three or four foster home placements; and Group D the usually serious situation where a child has lived in five or more foster homes. The cases were then studied in terms of the foster homes in which the children were placed; the intelligence levels of the children; and their adjustment to the foster home program. The adjustment of the child is believed to be the crucial factor in deciding whether foster home placement has succeeded or failed. The third part of the study examines what can be done to improve the methods of placing children in foster homes in order to lessen the problem of multiple placements. There is evidence that the problem of multiple placement of foster children could be reduced by more careful preliminary observation of the child and his needs, closer assessment of foster home potentialities, better matching of the child and the foster home, professional casework service while the child is in the home, and treatment for disturbed children in homes which are especially equipped for this service. The study suggests that many children without family ties could be placed for adoption, thus attaching them to one family instead of facing the possibility of repeated replacements. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

This study is concerned with a twofold problem: the present operations of Embury House, a receiving home for children in Saskatchewan, and its desirable role in relation to the total child welfare program of services in Saskatchewan. At present Embury House lacks any suitable program to serve the needs of those children requiring institutional care. Consequently, it is not an institution with a definite purpose, but a place where dependent and neglected children in Saskatchewan are kept when there are no other services available to meet their needs. The evaluation of present operations in Embury House is based on the records of fifty children placed there during 1949-1950. These fifty children, the average monthly population of the institution, reveal a typical cross-section of the problems and needs of children kept in Embury House. Analysis showed the children fell into three groups, each needing a different type of service: (a) casework services in their own home, (b) placement in foster homes, and (c) placement in an institution. It also showed that only eighteen per cent of the total population of Embury House could profit by the services of an institution for general care, which type seemed most nearly to describe Embury House. In addition, the analysis showed that eighteen per cent of the total population required the specialized services of a study and treatment institution, fifty per cent required foster home care, and fourteen per cent required case work services in their own home. The program of services offered by Embury House during 1949-1950, was evaluated in terms of the standards for children's institutions recently constructed for the State of Washington. The program was also assessed by applying four criteria to the institutional program: (a) the social service program, (b) the physical care of the children, (c) the education and social training, and (d) the quality of the staff. This showed that the physical needs of the children and their education and social training are well served at Embury House, but there are serious lacks in the social service program and in the staff. Recent trends in professional thinking regarding the services which can or should be offered by an institution are reviewed. A definite classification is also made of children who should not receive institutional care, and of children who can be served in an institutional setting. Against this background, there is evidence that Embury House could serve more effective purposes in the child welfare program than it does at present. There are no facilities for the treatment of emotionally disturbed children in Saskatchewan, but these children tend to be placed in Embury House. It is suggested that Embury House could fulfil a necessary role as a study and treatment centre for seriously disturbed children. There are undoubtedly more children in Saskatchewan who could benefit from such a service; and it would be better to work out a foster placement and case work program for those children not suited for institutional care. Revision of the social service program, and certain changes and additions in the staff, as recommended, would modernize Embury House as a valuable study and treatment institution. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

The general trend toward community care of the mentally ill is a relatively recent development in the treatment and rehabilitation of this segment of society. The purpose of this study was to examine a group of boarding home residents who are psychiatrically handicapped in order to discover whether they were satisfied with their situation in the community and whether they had achieved an appropriate level of social functioning. Another question addressed was whether the cost of maintaining the patients in the community is less than that of institutional care. The scope of the study was restricted to individuals residing in mental health boarding homes in the Kamloops, British Columbia area. The majority of these had been patients at the Tranquille School, facility for the retarded. However, included in the 69 subjects interviewed were those with other psychiatric handicaps. One questionnaire was administered to residents, boarding home operators, employers, and workshop staff. A subjective response was elicited from the boarders regarding their satisfaction with their situation; in addition to the subjective-response, "satisfaction" was measured quantitatively with regard to social activities, that is, contacts with friends and family as well as attendance at community activities. Other items on the questionnaire related to social functioning of the subjects and included adjustment in the home and at work, and interpersonal relationships. Ability to remain in the community was considered to be an important indicator of social functioning, as well as moving on to independent living. Fifty-eight of the sixty-nine (84.06%) responded that they were satisfied with their situation in the community. These represented a substantial number of the moderately retarded. Contact with relatives and friends were found to be infrequent, and most subjects were dissatisfied with this. A high percentage of the respondents (88.4%) attended community activities at least once a week, and 30.43% at least twice a week or more often. These factors may have contributed to the boarders' satisfaction with community living. Social functioning was felt to be closely connected to some form of community employment. A total of 68.12% of subjects were away from home in some work related activity, a fairly high indicator of social functioning. Amount of supervision needed in such activities as eating, sleeping, toilet, dress, and spending money was considered in the study as being a measure of social functioning. With regard to the rate of returning to institution, the .5% per month compared favorably to the Province wide average of less than 1% per month. 6.8% of the boarding residents were found to have moved on to independent living in 1973, as compared with the provincial average of 11%. The possibly high percentage of retarded subjects in boarding homes in the Kamloops area as compared with other districts in the Province may have influenced both of these findings. A tentative conclusion was reached that the cost of maintaining patients in the community is considerably less than institutional care, but a more comprehensive study would seem to be indicated. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

Objective – Some of the most vulnerable children and youths in our country are those in out of home care, and these children demonstrate higher rates of psychopathology and fare more poorly in school and in social relationships than their peers. Typically, when studying at risk populations, negative outcomes are examined, thereby ignoring those who do well despite their vulnerability. These children, who demonstrate positive patterns of functioning and development despite their exposure to adversity, are considered resilient. The objective of this study was to identify factors associated with a resilient outcome among children and youths in out of home care. Method – The study sample was comprised of 417 children 10 to 15 years old in Ontario who had been removed from their homes of origin and placed in out of home care. Predictor variables were selected based on previous research findings in the area of resilient outcome. In the cross-sectional study, a series of sequential logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with a resilient outcome among children in out of home care. These children were then followed one year later. In the longitudinal study, another series of sequential logistic regression analyses were used to identify variables that were related to future resilient outcomes among the same children in out of home care. Results – The findings showed that many of the independent variables predicted resilient outcome on the different dimensions. Furthermore, overall resilient outcome was best predicted by the foster parental report of high sociability. Conclusion – The findings in the present study confirmed that there exists a subset of resilient children among children in out of home care. The findings allowed for the identification of some factors related to resilient outcome among this population. The practical implications of these findings are discussed.

This study was designed to assess the community identification of discharged mental patients in community boarding homes-specifically, those patients discharged from the Riverview Mental Hospital and placed directly into Vancouver City boarding homes as part of a cooperative programme between the Social Service Department of the Riverview Hospital and the Medical Section of the City Social Service Department. Community identification was defined in terms of three factors: physical presence in a geographic area; quality and quantity of social participation; and, relative opportunity for decision-making and independent functioning. Quantitative measurement of the latter two factors was attained through administering the Chapin Leisure Participation and Enjoyment Scale and the Vine-land Social Maturity Scale respectively. A qualitative measurement was attained by administering two questionnaires designed by the researchers--one to the boarding home operators, the other to the patients in the boarding homes The design of the study was initially that of a retrospective nature, comparing current data to data of previous performance obtained from hospital files. As this latter source proved inadequate, a longitudinal design was proposed, and a pretest of the research instruments was implemented with a boarding home sample and a comparative hospital sample. The findings of the study thus pertain to the qualitative responses of the former patients in community boarding homes, and to qualitative comparisons of the responses of the community and hospital samples. The qualitative responses were generally of a positive nature indicating a satisfaction with community placement and an enjoyment of community life. The quantitative responses indicated a decrease of social participation, occupational activity and socialization skills following placement into the community boarding homes, but an increase in the skill of self-direction and competency of locomotion. A comparison of the interviewers' ratings and the patients' ratings of significant impediments to social functioning indicated that the latter perceived this in financial terms while the former perceived it in psychological terms. Conclusions of this study, necessarily limited because of its preliminary nature, relate primarily to the concept of community identification and to the difficulty of defining this concept in concrete terms. As the findings indicated that autonomy and independent decision-making were most closely related to subjective feelings of community identity, and that this increase in autonomy was related to increased feelings of dignity and self-worth, it was suggested that greater autonomy was the principal factor in the community identification of this population, and that this indicated a positive evaluation of the boarding home placement programme in that it led to the enhancement of the patients' feelings of dignity and self-worth. Recommendations for improvement of the programme include psychiatrically trained staff to supervise the patients, new regulations concerning finances, and provision of more activities and facilities designed to enhance the patients' feelings of self-worth. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

This study investigated the relationship between living in a foster home and reading achievement among high school students. It involved 71 subjects living in foster and non-foster homes. Nineteen schools in Vancouver, Richmond and Surrey, British Columbia, were Included in the study. The first part of the study was concerned with the relationship between Type of Home and reading achievement, I.Q. and reading scores were obtained using the California Short-Form Test of Mental Maturity and the Reading Battery of the California Achievements Tests. Age, Sex, Grade, I.Q. and Type of Home and the interactions between Type of Home and I.Q. and between Type of Home and Sex were used as predictors in multiple regression analysis of the data obtained. The dependent variable was the grade placement of the subjects on the reading test. The results suggest that there is little relationship between Type of Home and reading achievement. However, there was a significant mean difference in I.Q. between the foster and non-foster children. The predictor variables included in the study accounted for about 75% of the variance in the dependent variable. In the second part of the study, relationship between the reading achievement of the foster children and Age of Admission to Foster Care, Length of Foster Care and the Number of Times the Children Changed Homes was investigated. The interactions between Age at First Admission and Length of Foster Care and between Socioeconomic Status of the foster parents and the Length of Stay in the Present Home were also considered. Again, multiple regressions were used to analyze the data. The results indicated that the number of times the children changed homes was more strongly related to their reading achievement than either Age at First Admission or Length of Foster Care. However, only Grade and I.Q. were found to be significantly related to the reading achievement of the children; they accounted for about 70% of the variance in the dependent variable. There were no significant interactions. It was suggested that future studies of the academic achievement of foster children should include elementary as well as high school students, both in regular and "special" classes. It was also pointed out that further research should consider not only the self-concept, school attendance and the natural home background of the foster children but also teacher expectations and the number of schools attended. Studies regarding the relationship between living in a foster home and the development of intellectual abilities were also recommended. / Arts, Faculty of / Psychology, Department of / Graduate