Child age and outcome correlates in intensive family preservation services

Consistent with other studies of Intensive Family Preservation Services (IFPS), 83% of 1506 children served by Homebuilders over a 2 year, 8 month period avoided official out-of-home placement, 12 months after service intake. An examination of client variables associated with outcome revealed that child age was an important predictor of placement outcomes, with infants (birth to 2 years) and older children (ages 10 to 17 years) being significantly more likely to be placed after treatment than 3 to 9 year-old children. Additional analyses of the 3 child-age cohorts revealed that clear, cohort-specific clusters of child and parent/family characteristics were associated with post-intervention placement. Implications for service provision, intervention focus, and program evaluation are explored.