Byers Kaela, Barton Jared, Grube Whitney, Wesley Jessica, Akin Becci A, Hermesch Emily, Felzke Erin, Roosevelt Rachelle
School of Social Welfare, University of Kansas, 1545 Lilac Lane, Lawrence, KS 66045 USA.
TFI Family Services, Inc, 217 Southeast 4th Street, Topeka, KS 66603 USA.
Child Adolesc Social Work J. 2023 Jun 7:1-24. doi: 10.1007/s10560-023-00930-3.
Youth who run away from foster care experience danger to health and safety and increased risk of adverse child welfare outcomes. By applying a concurrent mixed-methods approach, this study aimed to develop a deeper understanding of runaway risk that used a person-centered lens and amplified youth voices. Collectively, this approach can inform service innovations to support youth placed in out-of-home care. Working with a foster care agency in Kansas, data sources comprised administrative data for youth ages 12 + in care, and interview data with 20 youth, 12 + in care. Quantitative analyses involved latent class analysis followed by multinomial logistic regression to investigate whether the population of youth in care was comprised of subpopulations with differential runaway risk and whether subpopulations would predict runaway behaviors. Qualitative analyses applied modified analytic inductive thematic analysis to explore critical life experiences that may act as risk or protective factors of running away from care. Results revealed four sub-populations which were characterized by their previous family and system experiences. Additionally, class membership, gender, number of siblings, and age were statistically significant predictors of runway behaviors. Youth interviews revealed five key themes on life experiences that mitigate or exacerbate youths' runaway behaviors. Recommendations resulting from this study were provided in three key areas: (1) improving family visitation and maintaining youth connections with self-identified family and non-relative kin; (2) supporting service approaches for youth that honor and amplify their voices, choices, and family connections; and (3) improving placement quality and individualization of services.
从寄养机构离家出走的青少年面临健康和安全风险，且出现不良儿童福利结果的风险增加。通过采用并发混合方法，本研究旨在更深入地了解离家出走风险，采用以个人为中心的视角并放大青少年的声音。总体而言，这种方法可为支持处于家庭外照料中的青少年的服务创新提供信息。与堪萨斯州的一家寄养机构合作，数据来源包括12岁及以上受照料青少年的行政数据，以及对20名12岁及以上受照料青少年的访谈数据。定量分析包括潜在类别分析，随后进行多项逻辑回归，以调查受照料青少年群体是否由具有不同离家出走风险的亚群体组成，以及亚群体是否能预测离家出走行为。定性分析应用改进的分析归纳主题分析，以探索可能成为离家出走风险或保护因素的关键生活经历。结果揭示了四个亚群体，其特征在于他们以前的家庭和系统经历。此外，类别归属、性别、兄弟姐妹数量和年龄是离家出走行为的统计学显著预测因素。青少年访谈揭示了关于生活经历的五个关键主题，这些主题减轻或加剧了青少年的离家出走行为。本研究产生的建议在三个关键领域提出：（1）改善家庭探访并维持青少年与自我认定的家庭和非亲属的联系；（2）支持尊重并放大青少年声音、选择和家庭联系的服务方法；（3）提高安置质量和服务的个性化。
