Children and Youth Services Review最新文献

{"title":"Profiles of protection trajectories among children in residential care","authors":"Andrea Fuentes-González ,&nbsp;Jesús Palacios ,&nbsp;Rosa Rosnati ,&nbsp;Maite Román","doi":"10.1016/j.childyouth.2026.108790","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.childyouth.2026.108790","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Children entering the child welfare system frequently present histories of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), which impact their well-being. Once in out-of-home care, factors such as placement length and stability are known to influence children’s developmental outcomes. Identifying the distinct protection trajectory profiles is necessary to inform policy and optimize the care provided. However, research examining these trajectories specifically within residential care remains scarce.</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>This study addresses that gap with two aims: (1) to identify patterns in the protection trajectories of children in residential care in Spain, and (2) to explore the association of initial factors with the different trajectories.</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>The sample included 49 children who had been in residential care during childhood. Data was gathered from protection case-files and developmental and psychosocial adjustment assessments. A cluster analysis was conducted identifying three shared trajectory profiles.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Profile 1 (trajectories ending in family-based care) included children who entered care at a younger age, spent less time in residential care homes, and presented fewer developmental difficulties. Profile 2 (unstable protection trajectories) was composed of children who experienced multiple placement changes, later entry into the child welfare system, a greater number of ACEs, and higher emotional difficulties. Profile 3 (prolonged and stable residential care trajectories) consisted of children with long but stable placements, many having diagnosed illnesses or disabilities.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>These findings highlight the diversity of care experiences and offer insights for improving child protection practices and supporting decision-making within the child welfare system to promote stable and secure protection trajectories.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48428,"journal":{"name":"Children and Youth Services Review","volume":"183 ","pages":"Article 108790"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146102895","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Students’ school-related well-being and parental involvement over time: Trajectories and interrelations in the context of the first year in secondary school","authors":"Ramona Obermeier ,&nbsp;Lisa Pösse ,&nbsp;Juliane Schlesier ,&nbsp;Michaela Gläser-Zikuda","doi":"10.1016/j.childyouth.2026.108804","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.childyouth.2026.108804","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Students’ school-related well-being is highly relevant for scholastic outcomes. However, current research is still in the early stages of understanding the development of students’ school-related well-being during shorter periods (e.g., the first year in secondary school), and in combination with time-variant aspects outside of school (e.g., parental involvement). This study aims to investigate trajectories of students’ school-related well-being and of parental involvement. Based on a sample of 803 students in German medium and high track secondary schools, who were surveyed three times (at the beginning and in the middle of the first grade, and at the beginning of the second grade), latent change score models reveal no decrease in students’ school-related well-being or in parental involvement over the first year in secondary education, in spite of correlated change scores in both constructs. Students’ educational track appears to positively influence the initial level of school-related well-being, while immigration background and parental involvement are associated with the changes in school-related well-being.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48428,"journal":{"name":"Children and Youth Services Review","volume":"183 ","pages":"Article 108804"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146175000","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Disability type and racial disparities in foster care placement stability: a disaggregated analysis","authors":"Jessica Greenlee,&nbsp;Erica Blausetin","doi":"10.1016/j.childyouth.2026.108800","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.childyouth.2026.108800","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Children with disabilities comprise nearly one-quarter of youth in foster care, yet research examining how different disability types affect placement outcomes remains limited. Most studies treat disability as a monolith, potentially obscuring essential differences in placement stability across conditions. This study examined how different disability categories relate to foster care placement instability and investigated whether age, race, and sex moderate these relationships.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Using 2022 AFCARS data, we analyzed placement outcomes for 109,929 children aged 5–21 with documented disabilities (55% male, 47% White, 31% Black/African American, 22% Hispanic/Latino). We employed split-sample validation, randomly dividing the sample into exploratory (n = 55,018) and confirmatory (n = 54,911) subsamples. Multiple linear regression was used to examine variable associations between five disability categories and the number of placement settings, while testing variable interactions between demographic variables and disability status.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Emotional disabilities showed the strongest association with placement instability (B ≈ 2.30), an effect five times larger than other disability categories. Physical disabilities were associated with fewer placements. Age × disability interactions revealed steeper increases in instability for youth with emotional disabilities. Critical racial disparities emerged: Black/African American youth showed significantly steeper age-related increases compared to White youth (B ≈ 0.06–0.07). Hispanic/Latino youth showed complex, disability-specific patterns. All primary findings replicated across samples.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Current foster care systems provide markedly different outcomes based on disability type and demographics. The substantial effect of emotional disabilities and robust racial disparities highlights urgent needs for disability-specific interventions and systematic attention to equity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48428,"journal":{"name":"Children and Youth Services Review","volume":"183 ","pages":"Article 108800"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146175027","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Social work with LGBTQIA+ youth from the perspective of child protection professionals in France and Italy","authors":"Rurka Anna ,&nbsp;Ius Marco ,&nbsp;Faisca Elodie ,&nbsp;Perdrizet Marie-Cécile ,&nbsp;Séraphin Gilles","doi":"10.1016/j.childyouth.2026.108807","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.childyouth.2026.108807","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This article examines the issues and challenges facing child protection professionals in France and Italy as they work to meet the needs and rights of LGBTQIA+ youth in care. The data analysed were collected during the exploratory phase of an ongoing research project. The research methodology involved administering an online questionnaire over a seven − month period (from July 2022 to January 2023) in France and Italy. This source of data was supplemented by focus group discussions in both countries, to provide an in-depth understanding and to extend the scope for interpreting primary quantitative and qualitative data in a structured and focused collective discussion (<span><span>Sim and Jackie, 2019</span></span>, <span><span>Robinson, 1999</span></span>). The thematic analysis highlights the challenges faced by professionals in their ordinary work with LGBTQIA+ youth in care. The expression of youth gender identity, particularly transgender identities, has emerged as a reality that generates significant concern among professionals. Youth gender expression may pose challenges in the context of group childcare, but also in the interaction between young people and their immediate environment, particularly their families.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48428,"journal":{"name":"Children and Youth Services Review","volume":"183 ","pages":"Article 108807"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146174956","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Transgenerational transmission of trauma. Heterogeneity in the experiences of mothers who experienced out-of-home care (OHC) and adjustment of their children","authors":"Ingrid Schoon,&nbsp;Samantha Parsons","doi":"10.1016/j.childyouth.2026.108785","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.childyouth.2026.108785","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study examines heterogeneity in adult functioning among mothers with out-of-home care (OHC) experience, and the intergenerational transmission of trauma associated with maternal OHC. The study draws on the nationally representative UK Millennium Cohort Study (MCS). The analytic sample comprises n = 305 mothers (G1) who reported to have experienced OHC before the age of 17 and their children at age 17 (G2). Running a latent class analysis across a range of adult outcomes such as educational attainment, employment, finance, housing, physical and mental health we identified three groups of mothers with OHC experience. These included 27% mothers who reported relative positive adult adjustment (<em>resilient mothers</em>); a group comprising mainly <em>impoverished mothers</em> (39%) and a group of <em>distressed mothers</em> (34%) with relative high levels of mental health problems who are experiencing more chaotic home lives. The children of relative resilient mothers with OHC experience showed higher levels of academic attainment compared to children of mothers who encountered more problems in their transition to adulthood. However, all children of mothers with OHC experiences reported high levels of depression and risk of self-harm by age 17 – including those of resilient mothers. The findings highlight the capacity of mothers with OHC experience to break the vicious cycle, although there is also a long shadow of intergenerational trauma which needs to be addressed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48428,"journal":{"name":"Children and Youth Services Review","volume":"183 ","pages":"Article 108785"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146102896","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Healthcare access among youth with disabilities leaving foster care: Exploring barriers in the Deep South","authors":"Leah P. Cheatham ,&nbsp;Natalia L. Smith ,&nbsp;Brian S. Gannon","doi":"10.1016/j.childyouth.2026.108791","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.childyouth.2026.108791","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Youth leaving foster care face significant challenges accessing healthcare due to frequent placement changes, fluctuating health insurance eligibility, and inconsistent adult guidance during the transition into adulthood. Concerns over health care access are intensified among youth leaving care because of the significant prevalence of behavioral and medical disabilities. Studies exploring specific psychosocial (e.g.<em>,</em> stigma) and structural (e.g.<em>,</em> systemic bias/racism) barriers to healthcare access within racially diverse, urban, and rural communities are crucial to improving health equity. Set against a backdrop of long-standing concerns over health access in the Deep South, this exploratory study provides a foundational understanding of barriers to healthcare access for youth leaving care with disabilities in the Southeastern United States. Ten in-depth semi-structured focus groups were conducted across three locations with distinct stakeholder populations, including youth leaving care with diagnosed disabilities (<em>n</em> = 12), caregivers of youth (<em>n</em> = 29), and child welfare professionals serving youth (<em>n</em> = 37). Themes illustrate several factors challenging healthcare access for youth leaving care with disabilities, including (1) mistrust of healthcare, (2) concerns over cost, (3) insufficient learning opportunities, (4) conflicting and ineffective healthcare guidance, and (5) child welfare policies and practices limiting access to care. Given the limited literature describing challenges to healthcare access among youth with disabilities leaving care in the Deep South, this study contributes valuable insights to inform the development and implementation of regionally tailored strategies to promote healthcare access among this population.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48428,"journal":{"name":"Children and Youth Services Review","volume":"183 ","pages":"Article 108791"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146175026","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"“Nothing about us without us”: Inclusion of unhoused youth voice in qualitative data analysis","authors":"Nyssa L. Snow-Hill ,&nbsp;Abigail Bushnell ,&nbsp;Nakisa Asefnia ,&nbsp;Justin Bell","doi":"10.1016/j.childyouth.2026.108817","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.childyouth.2026.108817","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A cornerstone of community-based participatory research (CBPR) is the inclusion of voice, which is achieved by partnering with individuals with lived experience. The incorporation of participant voices at all stages of the research process can be time and resource intensive, leaving community participants engaged in project execution to be excluded from roles in data analysis and synthesis. We conducted a qualitative <em>meta</em>-analysis of secondary data from a Photovoice project with youth experiencing homelessness (YEH; Snow-Hill et al., 2024) to examine the potential for engaging youth in qualitative analysis in future CBPR and Photovoice projects. Analyses examined the commonalities between themes identified by YEH to codes identified by researchers. All but two youth-generated themes had corresponding researcher codes, and all but five researcher-generated codes had parallel youth-generated themes. We also found a degree of nuance and complexity in themes identified by participants that were not adequately captured by researcher codes suggesting the inclusion of YEH voice is needed to accurately identify needs and strengths of the community. The present study provides a novel contribution as it is the first of its kind to compare participant and researcher generated content in a Photovoice project with YEH. Findings underscore the value of participant voices in all stages of the research continuum and further emphasize its importance in understanding the lived experiences of YEH.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48428,"journal":{"name":"Children and Youth Services Review","volume":"183 ","pages":"Article 108817"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146174958","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluating a school-based intervention to enhance elementary school staff knowledge and awareness of minor sex and labor trafficking","authors":"Erin J. McCauley ,&nbsp;Devin M. McCauley","doi":"10.1016/j.childyouth.2026.108829","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.childyouth.2026.108829","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study assesses the effect of PROTECT, an educational intervention related to human trafficking, on elementary school staffs’ knowledge and perceptions of minor human trafficking. Elementary school staff in the Mt. Diablo Unified School District (<em>n</em> = 139) completed a 2-hour in-person human trafficking prevention program in March of 2024. Staff completed a pre-survey and post-survey, which we linked using an anonymous unique identifier developed by participants (<em>n =</em> 121, 87%). McNamar’s chi-squared tests and paired-samples t-tests were applied to detect significant differences in pre- and post-survey responses. Following the intervention, 12% more participating staff correctly identified the definition of human-trafficking relative to prior (p &lt; 0.001). Participants answered nearly three more true/false questions correctly after the intervention (p &lt; 0.001), with the largest improvement seen on correctly identifying statements about if the victims of minor human trafficking are migrants (+44%, p &lt; 0.001) or mostly foreign born (+41%, p &lt; 0.001) as false. Significant improvements were seen for every knowledge question (ranging from 12 to 64 percentage points higher). School staff also reported higher confidence in their ability to identify the signs of human trafficking (+53%, p &lt; 0.001) and higher confidence in their ability to respond to human trafficking through reporting (+47%, p &lt; 0.001) and referrals to services (+61%, p &lt; 0.001). Results indicate that PROTECT is associated with positive and immediate changes in elementary school staffs’ knowledge and confidence related to minor human trafficking.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48428,"journal":{"name":"Children and Youth Services Review","volume":"183 ","pages":"Article 108829"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146175002","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"When the system fails: a qualitative interview study of foster parents’ perceptions of placement breakdown in Sweden","authors":"Cecilia Bylander ,&nbsp;Marlene Makenzius","doi":"10.1016/j.childyouth.2026.108797","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.childyouth.2026.108797","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Placement breakdowns in foster care are a recurrent phenomenon with serious negative consequences for children’s health and well-being. Despite policy initiatives to strengthen stability, the problem persists.</div></div><div><h3>Aim</h3><div>To explore foster parents’ perceptions of placement breakdowns in foster care.</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>Semi-structured interviews (60–100 min) were conducted in spring 2025 with ten foster parents from different Swedish municipalities, all with direct experience of breakdowns. Data were analysed inductively using qualitative content analysis.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The analysis generated an overarching theme: the need to address systemic shortcomings to prevent breakdowns and mitigate their emotional consequences. Five categories supported this theme. First, foster parents reported a lack of recognition of their role, including limited legal rights, insufficient trust in their competence, and unequal or insecure remuneration. Second, they described inadequate support, both in quality and accessibility, often linked to limited resources within social services, while consultant agencies were considered more responsive. Third, the absence of a child perspective in relocation decisions was emphasised; children’s voices and life circumstances were rarely considered, preparation for moves was insufficient, and post-placement contact was usually severed. Fourth, respondents highlighted a lack of legal safeguards, with poor follow-up, unclear grounds for relocation, and a power imbalance between foster parents and social services. Finally, breakdowns were experienced as emotionally damaging, leading to foster parents’ emotional withdrawal and children’s attachment difficulties.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The findings reveal systemic deficiencies that heighten the risk of breakdowns and threaten stability in foster care. Structural reforms are needed to strengthen recognition, provide adequate support, safeguard rights, and embed the child’s perspective.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48428,"journal":{"name":"Children and Youth Services Review","volume":"183 ","pages":"Article 108797"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146174957","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring the impact of parental involvement on preschool transitions in New York City: a mixed-methods case study of Teachers’ perceptions and practices","authors":"Annie George-Puskar,&nbsp;Erin Shanahan","doi":"10.1016/j.childyouth.2026.108815","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.childyouth.2026.108815","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Successful adjustment to the formal-schooling environment can lay the foundation for a child’s future school experiences (Fabian &amp; Dunlop, 2007). The data reported here are part of a larger exploratory case study (see George-Puskar &amp; Gandhi, 2023) in which early childhood educators were recruited to participate in a survey (N = 327) and qualitative interview (N = 20). The purpose of this article is to report the results of semi-structured interviews with teachers in order to better understand teachers’ practices, perceptions, and experiences surrounding preschool student and family transitions. In addition, survey data gathered from teachers was analyzed using descriptive statistics and correlations among teacher transition practices, teacher demographics, and classroom characteristics. The interview data were analyzed using an inductive-emergent coding approach. Overall, the findings from the current study indicate that teachers emphasize the role of parents as a necessary and important component of a successful transition. Prior research on the preschool transition has a strong emphasis on individual child-preschool-readiness (e.g., Goodrich et al., 2015; Hanson et al., 2000; <span><span>Pianta et al., 2007</span></span>). The research presented in this article builds on existing literature recommendations while indicating a need for greater focus on parents’ readiness as well as strategies to involve stakeholders in the transition process, including opportunities for teacher professional development specific to supporting the transition into preschool.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48428,"journal":{"name":"Children and Youth Services Review","volume":"183 ","pages":"Article 108815"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146174959","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}