The effects of kinship care on adult mental health outcomes of alumni of foster care

Kinship foster care is emerging into the dominant preferred placement type for out-of-home care, exceeding traditional foster care and group care. The push towards kinship foster care has brought up questions as to whether kinship foster care can better provide for the short- and long-term emotional needs of children in care. This study examined the effects of kinship foster care on adult mental health outcomes of former foster children. Data were drawn from the Casey National Alumni Study and included case record data on 1582 alumni and interviews of 1068 alumni. The adjusted response rate was 73%. Logistic regression was used to compare several patterns of placements in kinship care and their impact on mental health functioning in the year prior to interview. Results indicated that long-term kinship care alone does not result in more positive adult mental health as measured by ten specific mental health outcomes when demographics, risk factors, and foster care experiences were controlled. However, a variety of other in-care factors were identified that were associated to positive mental health functioning.