KINSHIP RELATIONS AMONG IMPOVERISHED FAMILIES: CARING FOR CHILDREN IN PROJECT LAGNIAPPE

This study examines the prevalence of mother-child separation among children at high-risk for abandonment because of maternal HIV infection and/or substance use. We use quantitative and qualitative data collected on 119 mothers and their 385 children at intake into Project Lagniappe, a program affiliated with Children's Hospital in New Orleans. The results of a logistic regression model suggest that children whose mothers have a history of drug use, live alone, and are under the age of 30 are more likely to live with someone other than their biological mother. We discuss the implications of these findings for social policy. In essence, we argue that many social policies, including foster care, inadequately address the needs of a socially and culturally diverse population.