Reiko Kakuyama-Villaber, Tiffany Burkhardt, Ka Ho Brian Chor
{"title":"It takes a lot: Exploring implementation of therapeutic foster care as an alternative to residential care","authors":"Reiko Kakuyama-Villaber, Tiffany Burkhardt, Ka Ho Brian Chor","doi":"10.1016/j.childyouth.2025.108222","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Purpose</h3><div>This process study evaluated the implementation of a 5-year Therapeutic Foster Care (TFC) pilot in Illinois as an alternative model to residential care.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Focus groups with nine staff and leaders of a private TFC provider and five state child welfare agency liaisons were conducted. Focus groups were recorded, transcribed, and coded to identify key themes about the implementation and lessons from the pilot.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Key themes included the vital role of TFC parents and aftercare families; more observed successes among younger youth in TFC; TFC team communication, support, and continuity as key considerations; identifying a stable aftercare home as both essential for successful youth outcomes and a major challenge.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Findings highlight key considerations for supporting youth, parents, and TFC providers through trauma-informed and culturally-responsive engagement, promoting sustainability, development, and fidelity of delivering TFC programming as a viable community-based option for youth.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48428,"journal":{"name":"Children and Youth Services Review","volume":"172 ","pages":"Article 108222"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4000,"publicationDate":"2025-03-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Children and Youth Services Review","FirstCategoryId":"90","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0190740925001057","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"FAMILY STUDIES","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Purpose
This process study evaluated the implementation of a 5-year Therapeutic Foster Care (TFC) pilot in Illinois as an alternative model to residential care.
Methods
Focus groups with nine staff and leaders of a private TFC provider and five state child welfare agency liaisons were conducted. Focus groups were recorded, transcribed, and coded to identify key themes about the implementation and lessons from the pilot.
Results
Key themes included the vital role of TFC parents and aftercare families; more observed successes among younger youth in TFC; TFC team communication, support, and continuity as key considerations; identifying a stable aftercare home as both essential for successful youth outcomes and a major challenge.
Conclusions
Findings highlight key considerations for supporting youth, parents, and TFC providers through trauma-informed and culturally-responsive engagement, promoting sustainability, development, and fidelity of delivering TFC programming as a viable community-based option for youth.
期刊介绍:
Children and Youth Services Review is an interdisciplinary forum for critical scholarship regarding service programs for children and youth. The journal will publish full-length articles, current research and policy notes, and book reviews.