Effectiveness of family group conferencing in preventing repeat referrals to child protective services and out-of-home placements. (July 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hollinshead, Dana M.; Corwin, Tyler W.; Maher, Erin J.; Merkel-Holguin, Lisa; Allan, Heather; Fluke, John D.
• Is Part Of: Child abuse & neglect. Volume 69(2017)
• Page Start: 285
• Page End: 294
• Publication Date: 2017-07
• Subjects: Family group conferencing -- Child welfare outcomes -- Randomized control trial -- Child protection -- Family preservation -- Racial disproportionality; Child abuse -- Periodicals; 362.76
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2017.04.022
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0145-2134

Abstract

Abstract: Rigorous research on the efficacy of family group conferencing is rare. This randomized control trial study used an intent-to-treat approach to examine whether a referral to a family group conference (FGC) was associated with re-referrals, substantiated re-referrals, or out-of-home placements among child welfare-involved families receiving in-home services. We found no significant associations between treatment and control group assignment and the three outcomes for the sample as a whole. However, families with more children had higher odds of a re-referral and a substantiated re-referral, families with more than one parent had higher odds of re-referral, and families where a substance abuse services referral was noted had higher odds of out-of-home placement. In interaction models with race, we found that families with African American mothers who were referred for an FGC were more likely to be re-referred compared to other families, but no differences were identified with respect to their rates of substantiated re-referrals or out-of-home placements. Implications are discussed.