Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Resilience Among Children in Child Welfare, Corrections, Mental Health and Educational Settings: Recommendations for Service

  • Published:
Child and Youth Care Forum Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

What are at-risk and resilient children’s patterns of service utilization across Child Welfare, Corrections, Mental Health and Educational settings? And how do systems constrain the capacities of children to access the health resources they need to sustain and nurture resilience? This paper examines how children exercise personal agency in their navigation between service delivery systems and explores their negotiation for health resources from these systems. Drawing on the literature with high-risk youth in each of these four settings, and my own research, six principles are identified that underlie better service provision that builds resilience in at-risk children and youth.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • H. Anderson H. Goolishian (1992) NoChapterTitle S. McNamee K. J. Gergen (Eds) Therapy as social construction Sage London 25–39

    Google Scholar 

  • J. A. Anderson (2000) ArticleTitleThe need for interagency collaboration for children with emotional and behavioral disabilities and their families Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Human Services 81 IssueID5 484–493

    Google Scholar 

  • J. Arcelus T. Bellerby V. Vostanis (1999) ArticleTitleA mental health service for young people in the care of the local authority Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry 4 IssueID2 233–245 Occurrence Handle10.1177/1359104599004002009

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • J. Boyden G. Mann (2005) Children’s risk, resilience and coping in extreme situations M. Ungar (Eds) Handbook for working with children and youth: Pathways to resilience across cultures and contexts Sage Thousand Oaks, CA 3–26

    Google Scholar 

  • R. Bussing B. Zima F. A. Gary C. E. Leon K. Sinha C. W. Garvan (2003) ArticleTitleSocial networks, caregiver strain, and utilization of mental health services among elementary school students at high risk for ADHD Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 42 IssueID7 842–850 Occurrence Handle12819444

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • M. C. Calder (1999) A conceptual framework for managing young people who sexually abuse: towards a consortium approach M. C. Calder (Eds) Working with young people who sexually abuse: new pieces of the jigsaw puzzle Russell House Publishing Dorset, UK 118–159

    Google Scholar 

  • A. M. Cauce M. Paradise L. Embry C. J. Morgan Y. Lohr J. Theofelis J. Heger J. Wagner (1998) Homeless youth in seattle: youth characteristics, mental health needs and intensive case management M. H. Epstein K. Kutash A. Duchnowski (Eds) Outcomes for children and youth with emotional and behavioral disorders and their families: programs and evaluation best practices Pro-Ed Inc Austin, Texas 611–632

    Google Scholar 

  • J. Christian E. Gilvarry (1999) ArticleTitleSpecialist services: the need for multi-agency partnership Drug and Alcohol Dependence 55 265–274 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0376-8716(99)00021-6 Occurrence Handle10428366

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • R. Conger M. Armstrong (2002) ArticleTitleBridging child welfare and juvenile justice: Preventing unnecessary detention of foster children Child Welfare 81 IssueID3 471–494 Occurrence Handle12092669

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • V. J. Cook-Morales (2002) The home-school-agency triangle D. T. Marsh M. A. Fristad (Eds) Handbook of serious emotional disturbance in children and adolescents John Wiley & Sons, Inc New York 392–411

    Google Scholar 

  • E. Corin (1990) ArticleTitleFacts and meaning in psychiatry. An anthropological approach to the lifeworld of schizophrenics Culture, Medicine and Psychiatry 14 153–188 Occurrence Handle2401150

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • A. Dixon (2002) Culturally competent practices with children and youth who have serious emotional disturbance D. T. Marsh M. A. Fristad (Eds) Handbook of serious emotional disturbance in children and adolescents John Wiley & Sons, Inc New York 77–92

    Google Scholar 

  • B. Dohrn (2002) The school, the child and the court M. K. Rosenheim F. E. Zimring D. S. Tanenhaus B. Dohrn (Eds) A century of juvenile justice University of Chicago Press Chicago 267–309

    Google Scholar 

  • A. J. Duchnowski K.S. Hall K. Kutash R. M. Friedman (1998) The alternatives to residential treatment study M. H. Epstein K. Kutash A. Duchnowski (Eds) Outcomes for children and youth with emotional and behavioral disorders and their families: programs and evaluation best practices Pro-Ed Inc Austin, Texas 55–80

    Google Scholar 

  • D. Dupree M. B. Spencer S. Bell (1997) African American children G. Johnson-Powell J. Yamamoto (Eds) Transcultural child development: Psychological assessment and treatment John Wiley & Sons New York 237–268

    Google Scholar 

  • K. Frensch G. Cameron (2002) ArticleTitleTreatment of choice or a last resort? A review of residential mental health placements for children and youth Child and Youth Care Forum 31 IssueID5 307–339 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1016826627406

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Graham, J. R., & Barter, K. (1999). Collaboration: A social work practice model.Families in Society, 6–13.

  • K. L. Hellriegel J. R. Yates (1999) ArticleTitleCollaboration between correctional and public school systems serving juvenile offenders: A case study Education and Treatment of Children 22 IssueID1 55–83

    Google Scholar 

  • A. Hemmings (2000) ArticleTitleThe “hidden” corridor curriculum The High School Journal 83 IssueID2 1–10

    Google Scholar 

  • B. Henry A. Caspi T. E. Moffitt H. Harrington P. Silva (1999) ArticleTitleStaying in school protects boys with poor self-regulation in childhood from later crime: A longitudinal study International Journal of Behavioral Development 23 IssueID4 1049–1073

    Google Scholar 

  • A. J. Hunter G. E. Chandler (1999) ArticleTitleAdolescent resilience Image: Journal of Nursing Scholarship 31 IssueID3 243–247 Occurrence Handle10.1111/j.1547-5069.1999.tb00488.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Innu Nation (1995) Gathering voices: Finding strength to help our children Douglas and McIntyre Vancouver

    Google Scholar 

  • S. Jackson P. Y. Martin (1998) ArticleTitleSurviving the care system: Education and resilience Journal of Adolescence 21 569–583 Occurrence Handle9799548

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kroll, L., Rothwell, J., Bradley, D., Shah, P., Bailey, S., & Harrington, R. C. (2002). Mental health needs of boys in secure care for serious or persistent offending: A prospective, longitudinal study. The Lancet, (359), 1975–1979.

  • A. J. Litrownik H. N. Taussig J. A. Landsverk A. F. Garland (1999) ArticleTitleYouth entering an emergency shelter care facility: Prior involvement in juvenile justice and mental health systems Journal of Social Service Research 25 IssueID3 5–19

    Google Scholar 

  • R. Loeber D. P. Farrington (2000) ArticleTitleYoung children who commit crime: Epidemiology, developmental origins, risk factors, early interventions, and policy implications Development and psychopathology 12 IssueID4 737–762 Occurrence Handle10.1017/S0954579400004107 Occurrence Handle11202042

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • R. Loeber D. P. Farrington M. Stouthamer-Loeber W. B. Kammen ParticleVan (1998) Multiple risk factors for multi-problem boys: Co-occurrence of delinquency, substance use, attention deficit, conduct problems, physical aggression, covert behavior, depressed mood, and shy/withdrawn behavior R. Jessor (Eds) New perspectives in adolescent risk behaviour Cambridge University Press New York

    Google Scholar 

  • K. W. Malmgren S. M. Meisel (2002) ArticleTitleCharacteristics and service trajectories of youth with serious emotional disturbance in multiple service systems Journal of child and family studies 11 IssueID2 217–229 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1015181710291

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • T. E. Moffitt (1997) Adolescents-limited and life-course-persistent offending: A complimentary pair of developmental theories T. P. Thornberry (Eds) Developmental theories of crime and delinquency Transaction Publishers New Brunswick, NJ 11–54

    Google Scholar 

  • R. A. Murphy (2002) Mental health, juvenile justice, and law enforcement responses to youth psychopathology D. T. Marsh M. A. Fristad (Eds) Handbook of serious emotional disturbance in children and adolescents John Wiley & Sons, Inc New York 351–374

    Google Scholar 

  • D. Pazaratz D. Randall J. F. Spekkens A. Lazor W. Morton (1999) ArticleTitleThe four phase system: A multi-agency coordinated service for very disturbed adolescents Residential Treatment for Children and Youth 17 IssueID1 31–48

    Google Scholar 

  • W. Rose (2002) Two steps forward one step back: Issues for policy and practice H. Ward W. Rose (Eds) Approaches to needs assessment in children’s services Jessica Kingsley Philadelphia 309–319

    Google Scholar 

  • A. J. Saathoff E. A. Stoffel (1999) ArticleTitleCommunity based domestic violence services Domestic Violence and Children 9 IssueID3 97–110

    Google Scholar 

  • Sagatun-Edwards, I., & Saylor, C. (2000). A coordinated approach to improving outcomes for substance-abusing families in juvenile dependency court. Juvenile and Family Court Journal Fall, , 1–16.

  • R. J. Sampson J. H. Laub (1997) A life-course theory of cumulative disadvantage and stability of delinquency T. P. Thornberry (Eds) Developmental theories of crime and delinquency Transaction New Brunswick, NJ 133–161

    Google Scholar 

  • J. Sangster (2002) Girl trouble: Female delinquency in English Canada Between the Lines Press Toronto

    Google Scholar 

  • S. Silva-Wayne (1995) Contributions to resilience in children and youth: What successful child welfare graduates say J. Hudson B. Galaway (Eds) Child welfare in Canada: Research and policy implications Thompson Toronto 308–323

    Google Scholar 

  • J. Solis (2003) ArticleTitleRe-thinking illegality as a violence against, not by Mexican immigrants, children, and youth Journal of Social Issues 59 IssueID1 15–33 Occurrence Handle10.1111/1540-4560.00002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • M. M. Staudt (2001) ArticleTitleUse of services prior to and following intensive family preservation services Journal of Child and Family Studies 10 IssueID1 101–114 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1016633601617

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • C. C. Swenson D. J. Kolko (2000) Long-term management of the developmental consequences of child physical abuse R. M. Reece (Eds) Treatment of child abuse The Johns Hopkins University Press Baltimore 135–154

    Google Scholar 

  • M. Tausig (2002) Detecting “cracks” in mental health service systems: Application of network analytic techniques T. A. Revenson (Eds) et al. Ecological research to promote social change: Methodological advances from community psychology Kluwer Academic/Plenum New York 171–186

    Google Scholar 

  • F. B. Tyler S. L. Tyler A. Tommasello M. R. Connolly (1992) Huckleberry Finn and street youth everywhere: An approach to primary prevention G. W. Albee L. A. Bond T. V. Cook Monsey (Eds) Improving children’s lives: Global perspectives on prevention Sage Newbury Park, CA 200–212

    Google Scholar 

  • M. Ungar (2005) Introduction: Resilience across cultures and contexts M. Ungar (Eds) Handbook for working with children and youth: Pathways to resilience across cultures and contexts Sage Thousand Oaks, CA 15–39

    Google Scholar 

  • M. Ungar (2001) ArticleTitleThe social construction of resilience among “problem” youth in out-of-home placement: A study of health-enhancing deviance Child and Youth Care Forum 30 IssueID3 137–154 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1012232723322

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • M. Ungar (2002a) ArticleTitleAlliances and Power: Social worker–community relationships Canadian Social Work Review 19 IssueID2 227–244

    Google Scholar 

  • M. Ungar (2002b) Playing at being Bad: The resilience of troubled teens Lawrence-town, NS Pottersfield Press

    Google Scholar 

  • M. Ungar (2003) ArticleTitleResilience, resources and relationships: Making integrated services more family-like Relational Child and Youth Care Practice 16 IssueID3 45–57

    Google Scholar 

  • M. Ungar (2004) Nurturing hidden resilience in troubled youth University of Toronto Press Toronto

    Google Scholar 

  • M. Ungar E. Teram J. Picketts (2001) ArticleTitleYoung offenders and their communities: Reframing the institution as an extension of the community Canadian Journal of Community Mental Health 20 IssueID2 29–42 Occurrence Handle12051027

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • A. Stoep ParticleVander L. Green R.A. Jones C. Huffine (2001) A family empowerment model of change M. Hernandex S. Hodges (Eds) Developing outcome strategies in children’s mental health Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co Toronto 41–59

    Google Scholar 

  • U. M. Walter C. G. Petr (2000) ArticleTitleA template for family centered interagency collaboration Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Human Services 81 IssueID5 494–503

    Google Scholar 

  • M. B. Webb B. J. Harden (2003) ArticleTitleBeyond child protection: Promoting mental health for children and families in the child welfare system Journal of Emotional & Behavioral Disorders 11 IssueID1 45–54

    Google Scholar 

  • B. Wharf (2002) Introduction. Community work approaches to child welfare Broadview Peterborough, ON 9–28

    Google Scholar 

  • J. K. Whittaker (2000) What works in residential child care and treatment: Partnerships with families M. P. Kluger G. Alexander P. A. Curtis (Eds) What works in child welfare CWLA Press Washington, DC 177–186

    Google Scholar 

  • K. K. Wilson G. B. Melton (2002) Exemplary neighborhood-based programs for child protection G. B. Melton R. A. Thompson M. A. Small (Eds) Towards a child-centered, neighborhood-based child protection system: A report of the consortium on children, families and the law Praeger Publishers Westport, Connecticut 197–213

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Social Work, Dalhousie University, 6414 Coburg Road, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 2A7, Canada

    Michael Ungar

Authors
  1. Michael Ungar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Michael Ungar.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ungar, M. Resilience Among Children in Child Welfare, Corrections, Mental Health and Educational Settings: Recommendations for Service. Child Youth Care Forum 34, 445–464 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10566-005-7756-6

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10566-005-7756-6

Key words

Search

Navigation