Experiences of Adopted Children Returning into Public Child Welfare: What We Can Learn from Afcars Data

Background: Understanding the extent of post-adoption instability for children adopted from foster care and re-entry of adopted children into the public child welfare system is critical for achieving the goal of permanency. The rate of re-entry into foster care of adopted children has been estimated to be around 10% but understanding the experiences of adopted children who re-enter foster care is not well known. Utilizing data from the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS), this study sought to address the following research questions: 1) What are the characteristics of adopted children re-entering foster care? 2) What factors predict adopted children’s re-entry into care? 3) Does a history of adoption predict permanency outcomes from foster care?

Methods:  This study used data from AFCARS foster files from 2008 to 2015. A cohort of youth entering foster care in 2008 (n=276,456) were linked across all reporting years to track placement and exit from care.  A logistic regression model was run to determine what socio-demographic, physical and mental health characteristics, and placement-related variables were associated with previously adopted youth entering foster care.  Multinomial logistic regression models were run to determine whether entering foster care from an adopted placement predicted discharge reason from care.

Results:   Just over two percent (n=5385) of youth entering foster care in 2008 had been adopted previously.  The sample of adopted children was 51% male (n=2744), 58% white (n=3116) and 38% black or African-American (n=2063). Nearly 30% of this population had a mental health diagnosis (n=1449) and 38% had a physical disability (n=1841).  Youth entering foster care with a history of adoption was voluntarily placed in foster care in 14% of cases (n=702) with parent’s inability to cope identified as the removal reason in 21% of cases (n=1117). Child behavior problems were identified as a removal reason in 45% of cases (n=2383). Logistic regression models found black or African-American youth were less likely to have been adopted previously (OR=.80, 95%CI .75,.87) in comparison to white youth,..  Hispanic youth were 1.4 times likely to have an adoption history in comparison to non-Hispanic youth (OR=1.42, 95% CI 1.27, 1.59).  Older age at re-entry, diagnosis of a physical disability or mental health diagnosis, and removal reason were all associated with adopted children’s re-entry into care.  Multinomial logistic regression found that youth with a history of adoption were nearly 3 times likely to exit foster care through adoption in comparison to youth with no adoption history (OR=2.97, 95% CI 2.113, 4.165).

Conclusions and Implications:  Findings from this study were consistent with previous research looking at adoption instability of former foster youth and the critical need for adoption support and preservation. Results indicate families who adopt children with mental health diagnosis or physical disability need extra support to help with child behavior problems to ensure permanency and prevent re-entry into foster care. Given the passage of the Fostering Connections to Success Act in 2008, further analysis is necessary to determine if implementation of this policy improved outcomes for children adopted from foster care.