{"title":"The significance of religion when matching children with migrant background and foster carers − child welfare workers’ perspectives","authors":"Raquel Herrero-Arias , Milfrid Tonheim","doi":"10.1016/j.childyouth.2025.108240","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.childyouth.2025.108240","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Drawing on three focus group discussions with Norwegian child welfare workers, this paper explores the significance of religion in foster care matching. Using vignettes, the child welfare workers reflected on issues emerging in matching three hypothetical cases of children with three potential foster families. The analysis focuses on how and why religion is important in foster care matching.</div><div>The child welfare workers understood religion as a significant element of children’s identity and cultural background, promoting continuity and homing processes in the foster home. The findings present considerations regarding the child, the foster carers, and the birth parents that child welfare workers balanced in addressing children’s religious needs and continuity in matching. They weighed children’s religious needs against other needs like autonomy, protection, and belonging. Age and trauma influenced decisions, often prioritizing other needs over religious continuity. Maintaining religious continuity was regarded as important, but religious matching was not considered the only means for achieving this. Child welfare workers discussed what can help and hinder the promotion of religious continuity in both religious and cross-religious matched placements, like foster carers’ religious engagement and cooperation between foster and birth families. This discussion was marked by nuanced reflections on the complex issues that arise in practice when attempting to facilitate religious continuity. These findings can bring a better understanding of the dilemmas at play in matching processes for children with migration backgrounds, fostering reflection on religious needs and continuity to support their identity development and homing processes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48428,"journal":{"name":"Children and Youth Services Review","volume":"172 ","pages":"Article 108240"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143748299","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Child maltreatment in Chinese ethnic minority regions: Does gender Matter?","authors":"Guowei Wan , Miao Wang , Jun Sung Hong","doi":"10.1016/j.childyouth.2025.108230","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.childyouth.2025.108230","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>The study aimed to discuss the gender differences in the prevalence and correlates of child maltreatment in Chinese ethnic minority regions.</div></div><div><h3>Participants and Setting</h3><div>The data were collected from October 2019 to January 2020 and consisted of 1763 children (Mean age: 12.34, 50.0% female) in Chinese ethnic minority regions including <em>Miao</em>, <em>Tibetan</em>, and <em>Hui</em>.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Descriptive analysis was conducted to compare the gender differences in the prevalence of child abuse in ethnic minority regions. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to analyze the correlates of child maltreatment and gender differences.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>First, there were significant gender differences in the prevalence of child maltreatment. Boys faced a higher risk of physical abuse, whereas girls had a higher risk of neglect. Genders of both the children and parents were positively associated with child maltreatment and each subtype, respectively.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>The findings suggest that there is a gender difference in child maltreatment among Chinese ethnic minority regions. The study has major implications for practice and policy related to child welfare in China.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48428,"journal":{"name":"Children and Youth Services Review","volume":"172 ","pages":"Article 108230"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143644330","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}
Payne Winston-Lindeboom , Nicole Watkins , Michael Roeske , Linda Ruan-Iu , Guy Weissinger , Guy Diamond
{"title":"Adolescent residential treatment outcomes: Changes in depressive symptoms throughout treatment","authors":"Payne Winston-Lindeboom , Nicole Watkins , Michael Roeske , Linda Ruan-Iu , Guy Weissinger , Guy Diamond","doi":"10.1016/j.childyouth.2025.108239","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.childyouth.2025.108239","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Depression is a highly prevalent and consequential mental health disorder that affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Unfortunately, rates of depression among youth ages 12 to 17 have continued to increase, especially when compared to older age groups. For some youth seeking treatment, a 24-hour, intensive, and multimodal treatment experience, such as those found in residential treatment centers, may be beneficial. However, limited studies have investigated changes in depressive symptoms in patients admitted into these programs. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate change in depressive symptoms over time, as well as explore potential baseline characteristics that may be associated with intake depressive symptoms and changes in depressive symptoms throughout adolescent residential treatment. All patients (<em>N</em> = 3,562) were admitted between January 2020 and January 2023 and were given a battery of assessments at intake and every two weeks until discharge. This assessment asked about demographics, depressive and anxiety symptoms, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Results from the growth curve model indicated that depressive symptoms decreased over the course of treatment. Specifically, scores decreased faster at the beginning, and slower as time in treatment progressed. Additionally, there were sociodemographic and psychological comorbid predictors of intake depressive symptoms and change over time, including differences by age, race, length of stay, gender, anxiety symptoms at intake, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Our findings highlighted that adolescent residential treatment can produce decreases in depressive symptoms over time, even among a high-risk population, and that demographic and co-occurring psychological problems may be influential.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48428,"journal":{"name":"Children and Youth Services Review","volume":"172 ","pages":"Article 108239"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143680297","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}
Maria Gintova , Elliot Goodell Ugalde , Abigail Jaimes Zelaya
{"title":"Examining the potential of a coordinated service delivery model in child welfare in Ontario, Canada: Critical role of Black voices","authors":"Maria Gintova , Elliot Goodell Ugalde , Abigail Jaimes Zelaya","doi":"10.1016/j.childyouth.2025.108238","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.childyouth.2025.108238","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Poor outcomes for Black children and youth in the child welfare system in Canada are well documented in existing literature. A lack of service coordination among service providers has been highlighted as one of the barriers faced by children, youth and families receiving child welfare services, specifically from Black communities. However, there is little research on service coordination challenges in child welfare in the Canadian context. This paper examines the challenges and opportunities of coordinated service delivery in Ontario’s child welfare system, with a particular focus on the experiences of Black youth. Methodologically, the study relies on the user-centered design approach and via a series of focus groups seeks input from Black youth with lived experience in the child welfare system to explore service delivery issues and develop potential policy solutions. We identify issues such as service fragmentation, untimely referrals, and pervasive mistrust within the child welfare system. These are further exacerbated by systemic racism and a lack of culturally appropriate services. We conclude that the development of the coordinated service delivery model should begin with trust-building initiatives aimed at increasing Black staff representation in the child welfare system and beyond, enhancing transparency and accountability, and ensuring continued engagement of Black communities in policy design.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48428,"journal":{"name":"Children and Youth Services Review","volume":"172 ","pages":"Article 108238"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143680298","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kevin Keane , Retta R. Evans , Larrell L. Wilkinson , Dione Moultrie King , Lindsay Leban , David Macrina
{"title":"Comparing the relationship between three resilience frameworks and mental health outcomes among children who experienced multiple adverse childhood experiences","authors":"Kevin Keane , Retta R. Evans , Larrell L. Wilkinson , Dione Moultrie King , Lindsay Leban , David Macrina","doi":"10.1016/j.childyouth.2025.108237","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.childyouth.2025.108237","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have a well-established relationship with childhood mental health. Researchers have begun to explore resilience frameworks like the National Scientific Center for the Developing Child (NSCDC), Health Outcomes from Positive Experiences (HOPE), and cumulative positive childhood experiences (PCEs) frameworks that identify protective factors to build resilience to overcome ACEs. However, each of these frameworks has a limited evidence base with few studies examining the relationship between the entire framework and childhood outcomes among children who experienced ACEs. This study examined whether the NSCDC or HOPE framework had a stronger relationship with childhood mental health issues when including and excluding ACEs; the study also examined whether a cumulative PCE score improved the association between each framework and childhood mental health issues. Secondary data analysis was conducted using a sample of 65,017 children between 6 and 17 years old from the 2018–2020 National Survey for Children’s Health. Based on model comparisons using hierarchical logistic regression before and after controlling for ACEs, the NSCDC and HOPE frameworks were associated with childhood mental health. However, the NSCDC framework had a stronger relationship. The NSCDC cumulative PCE score slightly improved the models while the HOPE cumulative PCE score did not significantly strengthen the models. Significant protective factors were identified from both frameworks. The results demonstrated the potential for the NSCDC framework to build resilience to overcome ACEs. Future ACEs interventions should potentially seek to integrate the NSCDC framework to potentially mitigate the impact of ACEs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48428,"journal":{"name":"Children and Youth Services Review","volume":"172 ","pages":"Article 108237"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143680295","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}
Xianzhi Li , Kangle Song , Yuanyuan An , Chao Song , Xiaohui Li
{"title":"Family resilience before and during the COVID-19 epidemic: A latent transition analysis","authors":"Xianzhi Li , Kangle Song , Yuanyuan An , Chao Song , Xiaohui Li","doi":"10.1016/j.childyouth.2025.108233","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.childyouth.2025.108233","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The COVID-19 pandemic presented vast challenges to families. However, some families could successfully withstand the adversity. To understand how these families adapted to this challenge and whether the profile of family resilience changed, this study investigated the transitions in patterns of family resilience before and during COVID-19, and examined potential predictors for the profile and transition of resilience, such as gender, grade level and social support. A total of 304 children in fourth and fifth grade completed the questionnaire at three time points (T1: June 2019; T2: February 2020, T3: March 2020). Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) and Latent Transition Analysis (LTA) were used to identify meaningful subgroups and transitions between groups across time. Results revealed (1) LPA identified three resilience profiles at all three times, characterized by high levels of family resilience (HFR), average levels of family resilience (AFR), and low levels of family resilience (LFR). (2) LTA showed that children in HFR group were most likely to remain in the same group. The largest probability of transition was from LFR group to AFR group. (3) Higher graders were more likely to be part of LFR group. Social support had significant effects on both subgroup classification and transition probability. Gender didn’t present a significant predictive role at any time. Given that this study demonstrated the heterogeneity in family resilience patterns and the instability of LFR group, it is suggested to identify and implement specific interventions to help families with low levels of resilience to adapt better.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48428,"journal":{"name":"Children and Youth Services Review","volume":"172 ","pages":"Article 108233"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143680362","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}
C.Ross Hatton , Adam S. Levine , Keshia M. Pollack Porter , Erin R. Hager
{"title":"More money, more questions: How caregivers spent the expanded child tax credit","authors":"C.Ross Hatton , Adam S. Levine , Keshia M. Pollack Porter , Erin R. Hager","doi":"10.1016/j.childyouth.2025.108231","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.childyouth.2025.108231","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In 2021, the federal government passed a one-year expanded child tax credit (ECTC), which increased the credit’s amount, made it fully refundable, and issued half of the credit as monthly payments to households with children. This policy, with its wide income-eligibility, can be used to better understand how families use cash benefits, as well as how those uses and related decision-making processes vary by financial context. This explanatory sequential mixed methods study uses survey and interview data to examine how caregivers of varying income levels living in Maryland used the funds and the factors shaping those decisions. We surveyed 306 caregivers between November 2022 and February 2023 about their receipt and use of the child tax credit. We then used stratified purposeful sampling to recruit 22 caregivers from three income groups (<185 %, 185 %-300 %, and 300 %+ of the federal poverty line) for interviews between March and June 2023. We used descriptive statistics, chi-squared tests, and thematic content analysis to identify how caregivers used the funds, explore variation by income, and described factors shaping ECTC use. Caregivers often reported using the funds for necessities like food and utilities; however, many caregivers—particularly those with higher incomes— also used the funds for debt payments and savings and investments. Financial context (e.g., job and income loss) played a paramount role in both constraining and explaining how caregivers used the funds; however, other factors like family structure, benefit timing, payment structure, and the ECTC’s framing as a child benefit were also described as factors that shaped caregivers’ decisions. The household and policy level factors identified in this study reveal important insights into how the structure and implementation of policies like the ECTC might shape how they are used, as well as how the ECTC’s wide income-eligibility might have impacted health equity across financial contexts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48428,"journal":{"name":"Children and Youth Services Review","volume":"172 ","pages":"Article 108231"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143680812","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":"Termination of parental rights and child welfare public Policy: Barriers for incarcerated parents and state-level policies to help mitigate them","authors":"Tamarie Willis","doi":"10.1016/j.childyouth.2025.108234","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.childyouth.2025.108234","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The passing of the Adoptions and Safe Families Act (ASFA) of 1997 aimed to improve the safety of children through promoting adoption and placement into permanent homes. With dramatic increases in the rates of incarceration within the U.S. criminal legal system over the last 50 years, it is not surprising that the two systems would eventually intersect. For parents who are incarcerated, many run the risk of having their parental rights terminated based on guidelines outlined in ASFA. More than 10 million children have lived with a parent who has been under some form of criminal supervision. Parental incarceration is disruptive to family relationships and can result in the child being placed in foster care. This paper conducted record review for state-level polices enacted to protect and encourage the rights of incarcerated parents. The results indicated that the majority of legislative actions at the state level were designed without consideration for working across both the child welfare and criminal legal systems. To effectively address this issue means increasing cross-systems coordination and collaboration, as well as including parents who have lived experience to ensure that any legislative action considers the needs of those most impacted.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48428,"journal":{"name":"Children and Youth Services Review","volume":"172 ","pages":"Article 108234"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143642186","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}
Yuanke Zhang , Hong Zheng , Shanshan Zhu , Ziqian Wang , Qianqian Jin , Xu Li , Bingbing Li
{"title":"Latent classes of childhood maltreatment among Chinese undergraduates: Associations with sociodemographic variables","authors":"Yuanke Zhang , Hong Zheng , Shanshan Zhu , Ziqian Wang , Qianqian Jin , Xu Li , Bingbing Li","doi":"10.1016/j.childyouth.2025.108229","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.childyouth.2025.108229","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Childhood maltreatment is a global public health concern. However, prior studies provide only partial identification of latent classes of childhood maltreatment. Therefore, this study aimed to identify latent classes of childhood maltreatment among Chinese undergraduate students and explore their association with various sociodemographic variables. The study examined childhood maltreatment experiences among 2,863 undergraduate students (40.1 % men, 59.9 % women; mean age = 19.96 ± 1.78 years) from 14 universities in eight provinces in China using a questionnaire survey. Latent class analysis was used to identify maltreatment type, and multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between maltreatment latent classes and sociodemographic variables. Three classes were identified: low-maltreatment (69.3 %), neglect (20.4 %), and mixed-maltreatment (10.3 %). Sex, only-child status, family structure, and family socioeconomic status were strongly associated with these classes. These findings shed light on the variability in childhood maltreatment among Chinese undergraduate students and provide a foundation for preventing childhood maltreatment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48428,"journal":{"name":"Children and Youth Services Review","volume":"172 ","pages":"Article 108229"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143629073","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}
Mogeda El Sayed El Keshky, Radeah Mohammed Hamididin
{"title":"Distal and proximal risk factors of suicidality: Using network analysis to test the narrative Crisis Model of suicide","authors":"Mogeda El Sayed El Keshky, Radeah Mohammed Hamididin","doi":"10.1016/j.childyouth.2025.108227","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.childyouth.2025.108227","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Several suicide models exist in the psychology literature, the most recent being the Narrative Crisis Model. This model includes distal and proximal risk factors for suicide and presents potential contributions to the etiology of suicide. However, this model has never been tested in Saudi Arabia nor using network analysis.</div></div><div><h3>Aim</h3><div>To investigate the Narrative Crisis Model of suicide using network analysis among Saudis.</div></div><div><h3>Materials and Methods</h3><div>A sample of 625 respondents participated in this study (mean age = 28, SD = 15.34, median age = 27, 38 % female). This sample included high school students, college students, and workers. They completed a questionnaire that included trait vulnerabilities, suicide narrative variables, suicidal crisis syndrome, and suicide thoughts and attempts. Data analysis was performed via network analysis using Gaussian graphical models.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Suicidal crisis syndrome, perceived burdensomeness, defeat, and goal disengagement had the highest bridging strength centrality in the psychological network. These bridging symptoms exhibited significant associations with suicidal thoughts (edge weights = 0.25 for suicidal crisis syndrome, 0.20 for perceived burdensomeness, 0.205 for defeat, and 0.14 for goal disengagement).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>This study among Saudi adults aligns with the Narrative Crisis Model of suicide. These findings emphasize the importance of bridging symptoms in targeting suicide prevention.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48428,"journal":{"name":"Children and Youth Services Review","volume":"172 ","pages":"Article 108227"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143609371","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}