Placement Stability for Children Adjudicated as Dependent: A Survival Analysis of a State Database

Using survival analysis, this article examines placement stability across a period of approximately 4 years for a sample of 3,089 Oklahoma children adjudicated as dependent in year 2000. Most children experienced few placements, but a minority experienced a large number. Kinship care was more stable than foster family care, particularly for African American children. Older children were at increased risk of subsequent placement. A higher number of prior placements predicted increased risk for subsequent placement. For children who are not residing in a placement setting, risk of subsequent placement decreased as time since adjudication increased. Results recommend continued emphasis on kinship care in child welfare practice, particularly for African American children.