The Nebraska Foster Care Review Office Quarterly Report, released this week - revealed that 96.6% of DHHS/CFS wards (these are children who are under the temporary guardianship of continue to be placed in nonrestrictive, family like settings. This is the third year in a row where 95% or more of Nebraska children have been placed in these settings.
The report asserts that "children in foster care need to live in the least restrictive, most home-like temporary placement possible in order for them to grow and thrive." Research from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill appears to support this - saying that research has found that children placed in less restrictive care - experience more positive placement and well-being outcomes than children placed in more restrictive care, (these would be your group homes and institutions).
Examples of nonrestrictive settings that the report lists include living with a relative - or the other parent in the event of a separation where legal details still need to be worked out, or independent living for teens approaching adulthood (a college dorm or apartment).
The reason home-like temporary placements are important here is because instability in a child's home life will impact their life in negative ways and continue to influence them negatively into adulthood.
Among the Quarterly Report's recommendations are to "establish an effective, evidence-supported, goal driven, out-come based service array throughout the State to meet the needs of children and families involved in the child welfare system to include the following: preventive services for neglect and substance use in collaboration with NDHHS Behavioral Health, out-of-home services such as family support and parenting time services that have the least traumatic impact on children, stabilization of placements and recruitment of foster parents based upon the needs of the child/youth in collaboration with foster care providers, creation of treatment foster care services which actively engage families and would meet the needs of older youth, Enhanced services and case management for older youth, Developmental disability services for children/youth in collaboration with NDHHS Division of Developmental Disabilities, In-home supports for foster parents especially relative/kin placements, and Mental and behavioral services for children/youth in collaboration with NDHHS Division of Behavioral Health."
(Photo by WOWT 6 News)