The impact of childhood foster care and other out-of-home placement on homeless women and their children

Objective: This study compares homeless women who had childhood histories o f foster care or other out-of-home placement to those who have not. Method: A countywide probability sample of homeless women (n = 179) receive d structured interviews. Results: One-third of homeless women reported being raised apart from their parents. Among women with children under age 18, most (61.5%) had children who had lived in foster care or other out-of-home placements. Variables as sociated with homeless mothers' children living in foster care or other out -of-home placements were: Child was school age, mother was age 35 or older, mother had a current alcohol or drug use disorder, mother experienced chil dhood sexual abuse, and mother ran away from home (when under age 18). Conclusions: Parenting is difficult for homeless mothers who may need to pl ace their children with others to facilitate school attendance. Parent-chil d interaction may be problematic in family shelters where privacy is rare. Thus, programs promoting family preservation for homeless mothers should pr ovide parenting support as well as permanent housing. (C) 1999 Elsevier Sci ence Ltd.