Out-of-home care characteristics associated with childhood educational underachievement, mental disorder, and police contacts in an Australian population sample

• DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2023.106120
• Publication Date: 2023-02-28T22:01:18Z
• Authors: Kirstie O'Hare; Stacy Tzoumakis; Oliver Watkeys; Ilan Katz; Kristin R. Laurens; Merran Butler; Felicity Harris; Vaughan J. Carr; Melissa J. Green
• Keywords: Child Protection

Children in out-of-home care (OOHC) are generally at increased risk of health and social adversities compared to their peers. However, the experiences children OOHC not uniform associated indices may vary relation characteristics placements child protection contact. To examine associations between a range contact (e.g., number, type, age placement) with educational underachievement, mental disorder, police (as victim, witness, or person interest) childhood. Participants were Australian drawn from New South Wales Child Development Study cohort who had been placed least once ages 0–13 years (n = 2082). Logistic regression was used prospective placement (type carer, instability, duration frequency maltreatment, amount time care) disorder diagnosis any type Placements foster carers, greater longer more frequent exposure spent each likelihood consequences all domains functioning. certain higher adverse should be prioritised for support services. The magnitude relationships across different indices, highlighting need holistic, multiagency approaches care.