A Critical Qualitative Inquiry Examining Policies and Procedures of the Child Welfare System Regarding Adolescents in Group Care

In the U.S., when the government considers it necessary to intervene in familial relationships for the safety and welfare of a child, the federally mandated initial response is to seek to restore familial relationships through family and community support services. In certain situations, the state determines that children must be removed from their homes of origin for their safety and well-being. This results in these minors moving in with a relative, into a non-relative foster care home or into a congregate care facility until permanency can be established. When this happens, the length of time the minors will reside in these new environments is undetermined and future situations are unknown. It is imperative for the welfare of these youth that each placement provides quality care to meet all of their developmental needs throughout their time in the custody of the state. Adolescents in the foster system frequently experience placement instability. A connection has been established between negative developmental outcomes and a lack of stability for minors while they are in foster care. Youth who are emancipated exit the system without legal ties to anyone. Half or more have not graduated from high school or completed a GED. Many will experience unemployment, homelessness, substance addiction and/or incarceration. Because of these realities, this dissertation examines policies and procedures in the child welfare system that may contribute to the negative developmental outcomes of adolescents aging out of foster care. It seeks to answer the question, “How could improving the quality of care in group homes enable adolescents in state foster care custody to exit the system with positive developmental outcomes?”