NCJ Number
150809
Journal
Protecting Children Volume: 10 Issue: 3 Dated: (1994) Pages: 7-10
Date Published
1994
Length
4 pages
Annotation
The development of family preservation services has engendered a great deal of research into its effectiveness, particularly when compared to the number of studies evaluating the effectiveness of mainstream child protective services.
Abstract
This article describes the key characteristics of family preservation services; the origins, antecedents, and policy context for their development; research findings related to the effectiveness of family preservation services; current challenges to their development; and key research and policy issues for the future. The author argues that, while there is a lack of definitive success attributable to family preservation programs, there are also no definitive findings regarding the effectiveness of other types of programs. Future research must consider the many confounding factors including variations in program models, types of families and children served, and selection criteria. Research findings and the accumulated experience with family preservation must be used to clarify expectations regarding its short- and long-term impact. 11 references