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Factors associated with childhood out-of-home care entry and re-entry in high income countries: A systematic review of reviews
,
Jonathan Scourfield,
Karen Hughes,
Jane Noyes,
Dan Bristow,
Evangelos Kontopantelis,
Sinead Brophy ,
Tash Kennedy
Children and Youth Services Review, Volume: 177, Start page: 108467
Swansea University Authors:
RICHMOND OPOKU, Michael Parker, Michaela James , Sinead Brophy , Tash Kennedy
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DOI (Published version): 10.1016/j.childyouth.2025.108467
Abstract
Background: Out-of-home care entry can have profound effects on families, society, and a child’s development and wellbeing. This review synthesised evidence on the factors contributing to initial entry and re-entry into out-of-home care during childhood (<18 years), as well as those that protect...
| Published in: | Children and Youth Services Review |
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| ISSN: | 0190-7409 1873-7765 |
| Published: |
Elsevier BV
2025
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| Online Access: |
Check full text
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| URI: | https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa69961 |
| Abstract: |
Background: Out-of-home care entry can have profound effects on families, society, and a child’s development and wellbeing. This review synthesised evidence on the factors contributing to initial entry and re-entry into out-of-home care during childhood (<18 years), as well as those that protect against these outcomes. Methods: A systematic review of published reviews was conducted. EBSCOhost, ProQuest, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and Epistemonikos were searched. Eligible reviews were peer-reviewed, published in English from 2013 to 2024, focused on childhood out-of-home care placement (<18 years), and were conducted primarily in high-income countries. Framework synthesis approach was used to identify key factors associated with care entry. Results: Of the 711 records identified, seven reviews were included. Key child-level risks included ethnicity, health, and behavioural challenges; family-level risks encompassed parental socioeconomic adversities and substance use; community-level risks involved poor neighbourhood conditions; and system-level risks included prior child welfare involvement and placement characteristics (e.g., placement instability for re-entry into care). Protective factors included child-level factors such as being elementary school-aged (6–12 years) and ethnicity; family-level factors such as high parental income and education; community-level factors, including access to essential services; and system-level factors, such as increased funding for child welfare. Conclusions:The evidence highlights that the factors contributing to care entry extend beyond the children’s social care system, encompassing child, family, and community-level influences. There is potential for policymakers and practitioners to move beyond reactive child welfare measures by adopting preventative, holistic solutions across various public services. |
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| Keywords: |
Out-of-home care; Foster care; Child welfare; Risk factors; Protective factors; Public involvement; Systematic review |
| College: |
Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences |
| Funders: |
This research was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR156826 − CARELINK Wales − Comprehensive Analysis of Risk factors and outcomes for vulnerable children through LINKed Welsh data), UK, and the Economic and Social Research Council – Administrative Data Research (ESRC-ADR), UK (PhD studentship). |
| Start Page: |
108467 |