Rapid Return of Children in Residential Care due to COVID-19: Scope, Challenges, and Recommendations

• In Event: Poster Session 06
  In Poster Session: PS 06 Topic - Social Policy

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic and associated response measures have led to unprecedented challenges for service providers working with vulnerable children and families around the world. While health issues are a major concern, the pandemic has had other profound and far reaching effects related to restrictive measures intended to reduce virus spread (i.e. lockdowns, social distancing mandates; Grills, Larson, & O’Neill, 2020; Nay, 2020). Unfortunately, effective social distancing is challenging in areas with high population density, such as residential care centers (Wang et al., 2020). As a result, some governments have chosen to rapidly disperse individuals residing in group care settings. Significantly, this has resulted in children and youth in residential care centers (i.e. orphanages, children’s homes, shelters) being rapidly returned to their biological families with little or no preparation (Lancet Institutional Care Reform Commission Group, 2020).
Objective: The present paper sought to 1) delineate the process and impact of rapidly returning children and youth to their biological families and 2) provide data-informed recommendations for public and private service providers working in nations in which children and youth outside of parental care have been rapidly returned to families due to COVID-19.
Participants and Setting: Representatives from 67 non-government organizations (NGOs) providing residential care that were government-mandated to rapidly return children and youth to family completed an online survey. They collectively serve 12,494 children in 14 nations.
Methods: Using a mixed methods design, results examined 1) characteristics of the rapid return mandate, 2) preparation received by children and families, 3) support services provided since the return, and 4) primary concerns for children and families.
Results: Data revealed that rapid return was characterized by compressed timelines that did not allow for adequate child and family assessment and preparation. On average, NGOs had 13.51 days (SD = 9.87) to prepare children and families for rapid return. All organizations reported that preparations for both children and families were inadequate for a stable transition. However, all respondents indicated they believed at least some families would be able to safely remain intact with appropriate support. Of the 12,494 children returned to their biological families, NGOs reported currently having contact with 9,092 children. Primary concerns for children and families related to unresolved antecedents to separation, lack of economic capacity, limited monitoring, and lack of access to education.
Conclusions: Based on the findings, nine recommendations were made for service providers working with children and families that have been rapidly reunified as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. All recommendations included specific actions that could be taken. As the pandemic continues to unfold and the needs of rapidly returned vulnerable children and their families evolve in response, researchers should focus on strategic data collection and analysis geared towards refining recommendations for service providers.

Authors

• Nicole Wilke, CAFO
  Presenting Author

• Amanda Howard, Samford University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Phillip Goldman, Maestral
  Non-Presenting Author