The FFAs, created as an alternative to group homes, are nonprofit organizations that recruit foster parents, certify them for participation in the program, and provide training and support services. Group homes may vary from small, family-like homes to larger institutional facilities and generally serve children with greater emotional or behavioral problems who require a more restrictive environment. In theory, the respective foster care rates were designed to reflect the needs of children. Those placed in FFHs have the fewest needs for services and support, while children placed in group homes are the most in need of intensive services and supervision. Comparing Length of Stay.
Length of stay is a key performance measure of the foster care system.
It shows how well the goal of permanence for children has been met. Figure 1 shows the median time in foster care for children who entered the system between 1993 and 1999, by placement type. As shown in the figure, those children for whom a FFA home was their primary placement stayed in care for almost two years, or twice as long as youth in nonrelative FFHs. As discussed above, increased time spent in foster care is generally considered undesirable, as children are less likely to be reunified with their family of origin or adopted. Longer stays in FFA homes might be justified if research indicated that the children in FFAs need more services prior to reunification or adoption than do children in FFHs.