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As the number of children in foster care without a familial placement continues to grow, the child welfare system is turning towards a new placement approach called Residential Treatment Foster Care. This study performed a process evaluation of 30 Residential Treatment Foster Care facilities in Los Angeles County that explored the four characteristics of case plan design, team decision-making, therapeutic intervention, staff training, and overall treatment effectiveness with regards to the number of Absences Without Leave (AWOL) and completion of treatment plan.

Thesis (PhD. (Clinical & Applied Psychology)) --University of Limpopo, 2013 / This study aims at developing an optimal psychological assessment procedure for determining primary residence allocation for children whose parents are divorcing. The research consisted of two studies: the first study focused on “translating” 13 identified legal constructs formulated by Justice King for safeguarding the best interests of children and the identification of suitable psychometric instruments that can be used to determine how effectively a particular family is functioning. These 13 legal constructs were converted into psychological constructs by three independent clinical psychologists. Following this a psychological assessment procedure for children and parents within a divorce context was developed incorporating the newly developed psychological constructs. The 2nd phase consisted of a sample of 39 families (26 families in the experimental group and 13 families in the control group). Six months later after primary placement the families were followed up in order to determine the psychological “health” of the families concerned using the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale (RSE); Index of Family Relations (IFR); Eyberg Child Behaviour Inventory (ECBI) and the Family Assessment Device (FAD). The means obtained from both the experimental and control groups were compared using the MANOVA analysis. The results from the RSE concluded that the self-esteem of children in the experimental group, improved significantly to those in the control group. The IFR indicated that families in the experimental group had improved significantly at resolving family problems. According to the ECBI the children in the experimental group with behavioural problems improved significantly after primary placement. In all children in the control group did not improve significantly. The Family Assessment Device therefore indicated significant family cohesion. In summary the results indicate that the families in the experimental group were functioning at a higher level in comparison to the control group six months after primary placement.

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La fugue est une problématique importante pour les instances veillant à protéger la sécurité et le développement des enfants et adolescents. Au Québec, un jeune sur quatre hébergé en centre de réadaptation l'expérimente. Bien que le taux de jeunes fugueurs reste stable, au cours des dernières années, le nombre d’absences s'est avéré en hausse. Cela signifie que ceux qui ont quitté leur milieu de vie substitut l'ont fait plus souvent. Puisque ce comportement peut compromettre la sécurité et le développement des enfants sous la responsabilité de ces instances, il faut chercher à déterminer les facteurs de risque individuels qui y sont associés. Il importe également de comprendre les caractéristiques du milieu de vie substitut et, plus largement, du contexte social environnant qui peuvent venir augmenter ou diminuer le risque. Une gestion efficace du risque de fugue passe nécessairement par une compréhension systémique de différents facteurs de risque individuels, organisationnels et environnementaux qui s’influencent et interagissent. Afin de considérer l’ensemble des caractéristiques permettant de prédire l'occurrence et la récurrence de la fugue, cette thèse poursuit deux objectifs principaux, abordés à partir d’une méthodologie mixte, alliant les méthodes quantitative et qualitative. Premièrement, le Guide d’évaluation du risque de fugue, un outil permettant d’évaluer le risque de fugue chez les jeunes hébergés en centre de réadaptation a été développé et validé. Un modèle composé initialement de 25 facteurs de risque a été soumis à diverses analyses psychométriques pour mettre à l'épreuve sa fidélité et sa validité prédictive. Des analyses de courbes ROC ont permis de déterminer que le modèle offrant la meilleure valeur prédictive en est un qui regroupe 15 éléments. De ce nombre, huit concernent des enjeux relationnels (ex.: alliance thérapeutique, réseau social, conflits, etc.). Une part importante de la prévention de la fugue doit donc s’intéresser à la façon dont le jeune interagit avec son entourage. Deuxièmement, 15 entretiens ont été réalisés auprès d’acteurs-clés afin de mieux cerner les caractéristiques du milieu de vie substitut qui peuvent avoir une incidence sur le risque de fugue. L’étude de ces facteurs situationnels a permis de comprendre en quoi l'historique récent de fugues dans le milieu de vie substitut, l’encadrement physique, les équipes d’intervenants, les composantes organisationnelles et les caractéristiques de la prise en charge peuvent prévenir ou accroitre le risque de fugue. Ces entretiens ont également mis de l’avant l’importance du contexte social environnant dans la compréhension de la problématique. En somme, cette thèse avance que la gestion du risque implique non seulement qu'on identifie les caractéristiques du jeune qui le prédisposent à la fugue, mais que l'on comprenne également en quoi des facteurs situationnels réduisent ou exacerbent le risque. Enfin, elle soutient que cette compréhension reste incomplète si l’on ne tient pas compte de certaines composantes du contexte social environnant. / The subject of runaways is an important preoccupation for child welfare services responsible for youth protection. In Québec, one in four youths living in a residential treatment center will experiment running away. Although these statistics tend to remain stable, in recent years an increase in absences has been observed. This can lead us to believe that those who leave the substitute care, do it more frequently. Managing risks in the youth protection system is a high stakes endeavor. In fact, runaway behaviors can potentially compromise the security and development of the youths for whom child welfare services have a responsibility. An optimal management of these risks implies evaluating them. Such an evaluation must not only determine the factors predisposing the youth to run away, it must also aim to identify the characteristics of the environment, how they influence the phenomena and eventually how they contribute to heighten or lessen these risks. A systemic understanding of the different individual and environmental risk factors, influencing and interacting with one another, must be considered when managing such risks in a protection setting. Considering these overall characteristics and their predictive value, this thesis has targeted two main objectives, based on a mix-méthod. A first goal was to develop a clinically valid tool evaluating the risk of running away for youths living in a residential treatment center. Applicating a model initially including 25 risk factors, diversified psychometric analysis measured the fidelity and predictive validity of the Guide d’évaluation du risque de fugue. In particular, ROC curves analysis helped determine that the model offering the best predictive value uses 15 risk factors. Of these 15 factors, 8 are pertaining to the quality of the relationships the youth has with his environment (quality of therapeutic alliance, conflictual relationships, peer and social relationships, etc…). This supposes that to better prevent the phenomena of running away in these contexts, a large part of these evaluations must take into account how the youth interacts with his environment. In second place, 15 interviews were conducted with key actors to better understand the characteristics and organisation of these residential treatment centers, and eventually their incidence on the risks of runaway behaviors. The careful study of situational factors has helped understand the influence of the actual presence of runaway behaviors, the physical environment, the teams of professionals; the characteristics of psychosocial treatment and finally the organisational components, and how they can prevent or increase these risks. These interviews have also highlighted the importance of the exterior environment in which the child welfare system is rooted and how this context affects the comprehension on these behaviors. Ultimately the results of this thesis lead us to believe that managing the risks of runaway behaviors not only implies evaluating the youth’s characteristics and how they predispose them to such behaviors but equally implies that situational factors have a role in preventing or increasing the risks. Although it should be mentioned that this evaluation is incomplete without the analysis of the exterior environment’s components and how they will facilitate or limit the risk management of professionals and child welfare organisations.

Drug abuse is a very common problem these days; and this problem is especially rampant among the young people of South Africa. Early problems in family management, the antisocial behaviour of the child, and peer pressure and rejection ignite the early onset of substance abuse. Treatment programmes and therapeutic methods to treat chemical dependency are available and utilised, but the high relapse rate and lack of support from family members and dysfunctional families, as well as the fears and challenges expressed by in-patient youth about being reintegrated with their families and a lack of supporting literature in this regard remain a cause for concern and need to be considered by the social work profession in order to plan effective intervention strategies. In response to this situation a research project was undertaken with the purpose of exploring and describing the perceptions, expectations, fears and needs of chemically dependent youth in a rehabilitation centre about being integrated into their family systems in an attempt to forward recommendations to assist social workers in rendering effective therapeutic services to service users in rehabilitation centres who have a substance abuse problem. A qualitative approach was utilised following an explorative, descriptive and contextual research design. The study was conducted at an in-patient rehabilitation centre called the Dr Fabian and Florence Ribeiro Treatment Centre in Cullinan, Gauteng Province in South Africa. Data were collected by means of semi-structured interviews. A sample of participants was selected by using purposive sampling from a population of service users in the Dr Fabian and Florence Ribeiro Centre who are chemically dependent. Data were analysed according to the framework provided by Tesch (cited in Creswell, 2003). Guba‘s model (cited in Krefting, 1991) was employed for data verification. The research findings point to the fact that participants had both negative and positive perceptions about going back to their respective families. On the one hand, there were negative perceptions shared. These were founded on a feeling of worry about the fact that their families criticised them a lot or that their families would not accept that they had changed, would still treat them like addicts, and not trust them. Furthermore, they feared relapse, triggers in their environment and family members who were abusing a substance. On the other hand, some participants perceived the reintegration with their families, following treatment, in a positive light as they were looking forward to joining them again after being in v treatment for three months.They were excited about the fact that they had been granted an opportunity where they could show their families that they have changed and have the chance of starting a new life. Moreover, part of the research findings point to the fact that some of the participants‘ families had already organised employment, a place for them to stay and financial assistance. From the research findings it became clear that the participants harboured the following expectations towards the families with whom they were reuniting: They need the family‘s love and support; to trust them again: to mend severed relationships and spend quality time together; to provide practical and material help, and for the family to be educated on addiction and for the family to accompany them to aftercare. In terms of research findings directed at the site (i.e., the rehabilitation centre) where the research was conducted the participants indicated that they needed more activities, they would like their families to be part of their recovery process, and expressed the need for individual sessions apart from group sessions and aftercare services. In terms of recommendations it was apparent that community members, community organisations and the government sector need to develop and launch chemical substance abuse prevention and awareness programmes through various media, (i.e. articles in newspapers, magazines, talks and documentaries on radio and television, community gatherings and meetings in all communities). Moreover, it is recommended that parents should take responsibility for monitoring and countering substance abuse in their children. Families need to be empowered through talks, attending parenting skills training, workshops and group meetings. South Africa needs to develop a policy focusing on families. Furthermore, it is recommended that treatment centres need to provide individual sessions, family therapy, aftercare services and more extramural activities, if these are not included in their treatment regime. / Social Work / M.A. (Social Science)

Drug abuse is a very common problem these days; and this problem is especially rampant among the young people of South Africa. Early problems in family management, the antisocial behaviour of the child, and peer pressure and rejection ignite the early onset of substance abuse. Treatment programmes and therapeutic methods to treat chemical dependency are available and utilised, but the high relapse rate and lack of support from family members and dysfunctional families, as well as the fears and challenges expressed by in-patient youth about being reintegrated with their families and a lack of supporting literature in this regard remain a cause for concern and need to be considered by the social work profession in order to plan effective intervention strategies. In response to this situation a research project was undertaken with the purpose of exploring and describing the perceptions, expectations, fears and needs of chemically dependent youth in a rehabilitation centre about being integrated into their family systems in an attempt to forward recommendations to assist social workers in rendering effective therapeutic services to service users in rehabilitation centres who have a substance abuse problem. A qualitative approach was utilised following an explorative, descriptive and contextual research design. The study was conducted at an in-patient rehabilitation centre called the Dr Fabian and Florence Ribeiro Treatment Centre in Cullinan, Gauteng Province in South Africa. Data were collected by means of semi-structured interviews. A sample of participants was selected by using purposive sampling from a population of service users in the Dr Fabian and Florence Ribeiro Centre who are chemically dependent. Data were analysed according to the framework provided by Tesch (cited in Creswell, 2003). Guba‘s model (cited in Krefting, 1991) was employed for data verification. The research findings point to the fact that participants had both negative and positive perceptions about going back to their respective families. On the one hand, there were negative perceptions shared. These were founded on a feeling of worry about the fact that their families criticised them a lot or that their families would not accept that they had changed, would still treat them like addicts, and not trust them. Furthermore, they feared relapse, triggers in their environment and family members who were abusing a substance. On the other hand, some participants perceived the reintegration with their families, following treatment, in a positive light as they were looking forward to joining them again after being in v treatment for three months.They were excited about the fact that they had been granted an opportunity where they could show their families that they have changed and have the chance of starting a new life. Moreover, part of the research findings point to the fact that some of the participants‘ families had already organised employment, a place for them to stay and financial assistance. From the research findings it became clear that the participants harboured the following expectations towards the families with whom they were reuniting: They need the family‘s love and support; to trust them again: to mend severed relationships and spend quality time together; to provide practical and material help, and for the family to be educated on addiction and for the family to accompany them to aftercare. In terms of research findings directed at the site (i.e., the rehabilitation centre) where the research was conducted the participants indicated that they needed more activities, they would like their families to be part of their recovery process, and expressed the need for individual sessions apart from group sessions and aftercare services. In terms of recommendations it was apparent that community members, community organisations and the government sector need to develop and launch chemical substance abuse prevention and awareness programmes through various media, (i.e. articles in newspapers, magazines, talks and documentaries on radio and television, community gatherings and meetings in all communities). Moreover, it is recommended that parents should take responsibility for monitoring and countering substance abuse in their children. Families need to be empowered through talks, attending parenting skills training, workshops and group meetings. South Africa needs to develop a policy focusing on families. Furthermore, it is recommended that treatment centres need to provide individual sessions, family therapy, aftercare services and more extramural activities, if these are not included in their treatment regime. / Social Work / M.A. (Social Science)