Projects per year
Abstract
Studies generally show children who have entered out-of-home care have worse educational outcomes than the general population, although recent research suggests maltreatment and other adversities are major contributing factors. Children's out-of-home care experiences vary and may affect their outcomes. This study examined the influence of placement stability, reunification, type of care, time in care and age at entry to care on children's educational outcomes. We conducted a population-based record-linkage study of children born in Western Australia between 1990 and 2010 who sat State or national Year 3 reading achievement tests (N = 235,045 children, including 2160 children with a history of out-of-home care). Children's educational outcomes varied with many aspects of their care experience. Children placed in residential care were particularly likely to have low scores, with an unadjusted OR 6.81, 95% CI[4.94, 9.39] for low reading scores, which was partially attenuated after adjusting for background risk factors but remained significant (OR = 1.50, 95% CIs [1.08, 2.08]). Reading scores were also lower for children who had experienced changes in care arrangements in the year of the test. A dose-response effect for multiple placements was expected but not found. Older age at entering care was also associated with worse reading scores. Different characteristics of a child's care history were interwoven with each other as well as child, family and neighbourhood characteristics, highlighting a need for caution in attributing causality. Although the level of educational difficulties varied, the findings suggest a widespread need for additional educational support for children who have entered care, including after reunification.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 146-159 |
Number of pages | 14 |
Journal | Child Abuse and Neglect |
Volume | 70 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1 Aug 2017 |
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Dive into the research topics of 'Relationship between out-of-home care placement history characteristics and educational achievement: A population level linked data study'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.Projects
- 3 Finished
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Public Health Approach to Child Abuse & Neglect - Antecedents Outcomes & International Comparisons of Trends
Stanley, F. (Investigator 01), O'Donnell, M. (Investigator 02), Nassar, N. (Investigator 03), Gilbert, R. (Investigator 04) & Brownell, M. (Investigator 05)
ARC Australian Research Council
1/01/11 → 31/05/16
Project: Research
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Training Fellowship - Public Health Approach to Child Abuse and Neglect: Antecedents, Outcomes and International Comparisons of Trends
O'Donnell, M. (Investigator 01)
NHMRC National Health and Medical Research Council
1/01/11 → 31/12/14
Project: Research
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Pathways Policies and Prevention - Better Outcomes for Western Australian Children
APAI, N. N. (Investigator 01), Stanley, F. (Investigator 02), APAI, U. (Investigator 03), Leonard, H. (Investigator 04), APAI_1, N. N. (Investigator 05), De Klerk, N. (Investigator 06), APAI_2, N. N. (Investigator 07), Li, J. (Investigator 08), Nassar, N. (Investigator 09), Zubrick, S. (Investigator 10), Taylor, C. (Investigator 11), Bartnik, E. (Investigator 12), Walker, P. (Investigator 13), Gwilliam, C. (Investigator 14), Johnson, I. (Investigator 15), Marney, T. (Investigator 16), Murphy, T. (Investigator 17), O'Callaghan, K. (Investigator 18), O'Neill, S. (Investigator 19) & Searle, G. (Investigator 20)
ARC Australian Research Council
30/06/10 → 30/06/18
Project: Research