Placement stability in kinship and non-kin foster care: A Canadian study

We compared the stability of kinship and non-kin foster placements in the cases handled by one Ontario (Canada) child protection agency in 2008–2010. Non-kin placements were four times more likely than kin placements to end within the first month; this difference then decreased, but kin placements remained significantly more stable in months 2 through 6. Kin placements were also more likely to end successfully by discharge to parents, whereas non-kin placements were much more likely to end because the child moved to another placement. Children's ages did not differ between placement types, and the stability difference persisted when children who had been physically or sexually abused were distinguished from those who had not. Within kin placements, those that were preceded by a non-kin foster placement were more stable than those that were not, and those involving genealogical, marital or adoptive links of kinship were more stable than placements with unrelated nominal “kin”. Our results generally support the current policy preference for kin placements, but we conclude by discussing why cautious interpretation remains warranted.