Is Contact with Birth Parents Beneficial to Children in Non-Kinship Foster Care? A Scoping Review of the Evidence

Kevin J. Ruiz-Romero, María D.Salas Francisco, Javier Fernández-Baena, Lucía González-Pasarín

In this scoping review the authors analyze the findings of studies conducted over the past two decades that have specifically examined face-to-face contact with birth parents for children in non-kinship foster care, with the goal of determining more clearly when it may contribute positively to the child's well-being. The review involved a search of nine electronic databases in Spain, the U.S., Portugal, and the UK.

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To Identify and Limit the Risks of Neglect in Orphaned Students: Can France Manage It?

Jérôme Clerca, Kamilla Khamzina, Caroline Desombre

In this theoretical paper, the authors argue that, due to the detrimental impact of parental loss on academic achievement in France, orphaned students should be considered as students with special educational needs. This is important to provide appropriate educational responses consistent with inclusive education.

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Youth at the Intersection of Parental Incarceration and Foster Care: Examining Prevalence, Disparities, and Mental Health

Luke Muentner, Katie J. Stone, Laurel Davis, Rebecca Shlafer

This U.S.-based study details the prevalence of youth at the intersection of parental incarceration and foster care, their demographic characteristics, and heterogeneity in their mental health.

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Child Abuse and Neglect - The International Journal

What About the Children? Co-Occurrence of Child Maltreatment and Parental Separation

Sheila R. van Berkel, Marielle J. L. Prevoo, Marielle Linting, Fieke Pannebakker, Lenneke R. A. Alink

The aim of this study was to investigate (a) the extent to which child maltreatment co-occurs with parental separation and (b) associations between different types of child maltreatment and various types of separation-associated interparental conflict. This cross-national comparative study on family dynamics was based on National survey data of the US, Russia and 17 European countries indicates that in these countries 10–44% of the couples with children had separated before one of their children reached the age of 15 years.

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Attachment of Young Foster Children

Delphine West, Laura Gypen, Johan Vanderfaeillie

Family foster care is the option of choice in case of out-of-home placements in Flanders, Belgium, resulting in rising numbers of family foster care placements. As a number of the foster children experienced traumatic events and all of them were separated from their primary caregivers, concerns can be raised about the quality of attachment between foster children and their foster carers. In this study, the attachment behavior was scored by the foster mothers on the Attachment Insecurity Screening Index.

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Developmental Child Welfare

Grandparents Raising their Grandchildren: Implications for the Vulnerable Children of Eswatini

Ncamsile D. Motsa, Pholoho J. Morojele

The study aims to comprehend the ways in which being raised by grandparents, influence the vulnerable children’s schooling. The aim is to contribute insights to our understanding on how these children’s education towards academic success could be enhanced.

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Children’s Experiences of the Pandemic Across Europe: Inequalities and the Potential of Participation

Cath Larkins, Lucía del Moral-Espín

This chapter examines practical insight from research conducted across the UK and elsewhere in Europe of the contexts that children were experiencing, the pre-existing causes of some of the challenges and examples of children providing evidence about their experiences and insights into how policy and services could better respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Children's Experiences, Participation and Rights During COVID-19

The Unfinished Democratisation of Family Service Systems: Parental Consent and Children’s Viewpoints on Receiving Support in Child and Family Welfare in Sweden

Maria Heimer, Camilla Pettersson

This article addresses the predicament of family service systems being built on parents’ voluntary participation and the need for parental consent, which may block children’s right to services. It examines parental consent and the impact of parental non-consent for children’s opportunities to receive protection and support in Swedish child and family welfare.

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