Facilitating Decision Making in Foster Care: The Alameda Project

Abstract

Results are reported from a two-year experimental project. The major objective of the project was to increase continuity of care for children in out-of-home placement by involving natural parents in planning and decision making for them. At the end of two years, a significantly greater number of experimental than control children were out, or headed out, of foster care. A number of variables are considered, with a focus as to whether they have utility for predicting the probabilities of differential case outcomes for children in placement. While this analysis identified several such variables, the overall results were disappointing. Case planning, the use of written. contracts, and issues related to service delivery are discussed as critical dimensions of the process of early decision making and permanent planning for the children of concern.