March 1999 - Infants and Toddlers
Major Findings: Review of 258 Infants and Toddlers
Significant Change in Cognitive Development while in Foster Care
From 13 months of age to 29 months of age
Cognitive Test scores improved significantly 12th percentile to
19th percentile
Elementary School Aged Children in Long Term Care
Major Findings: Review of 178 Elementary School Aged Children
Ethnic Group 51% African American
22% Latino
26% Caucasian
1% Other (e.g., Filipino)
Significant Changes in Academic Skills from mid 2nd to mid 4th grade
Total Reading
14th percentile to
25th percentile
Word Reading
14th percentile to
32th percentile
Reading Comprehension
9th percentile to
30th percentile
Total Math (statistical level of significance less than .1)
19th percentile to
27th percentile
Significant Changes in Cognitive Skills
Verbal Intelligence 18th percentile to
25th percentile
Nonverbal Intelligence
19th percentile to
27th percentile
Full Scale Intelligence
18th percentile to
23rd percentile
Why scores improve significantly while in Children's Bureau's Foster Care:
Availability of foster parent to nurture foster child-83% of foster families have two or less foster children.
Stability of living situation-3 out of 4 children remained with the same foster family during their entire placement history allowing for continuity of foster family relationship, school, and peers.
Improved health, nutrition, sleep, assessing need for glasses.
Enrichment of verbal and non-verbal skills by the foster family (e.g., through daily interactions, increased verbalization, trips, reading, sports, etc.)
Foster parents and Children's Bureau social worker's structuring homework time and providing assistance with school work and projects.
Continual reinforcement for school work and behavior
Advocacy by Children's Bureau social workers for meeting special needs (e.g., requesting an Individual Education Plan or tutoring)
Formal assessments to determine needs with follow-up assessments to measure changes and update the intervention plan
Initial and ongoing training, support and monitoring of foster parent by Children's Bureau social workers.
Social worker is assigned to 12 foster children and their foster families allowing for sufficient social work support.
