Home > Sibling Issues in Foster Care and Adoption: A Bulletin for Professionals - Table of Contents

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Sibling Issues in Foster Care and Adoption
Bulletin for Professionals

Author(s):  Child Welfare Information Gateway

Year Published:  2006

You are in section: Table of Contents 1 - Defining a Sibling Relationship 2 - The Importance of Siblings 3 - Sibling Relationships in Abusive or Neglectful… 4 - Benefits of Placing Siblings Together 5 - Barriers to Placing Siblings Together 6 - Policies and Practices for Keeping Siblings… 7 - When Siblings Cannot Live Together 8 - Maintaining Ties Between Separated Siblings 9 - Sibling Issues Within the Foster or Adoptive… 10 - Resources for Promoting Intact Placement of… References

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One of the most critical contributions that child welfare professionals can provide for children who enter care is to preserve their connections with their brothers and sisters. Children who come into foster care or are adopted often are separated from existing or future siblings. Approximately 70 percent of children in foster care in the United States have another sibling also in care (Shlonsky, Elkins, Bellamy, & Ashare, 2005). For a variety of reasons, many of these sibling groups are not placed together.

This bulletin will explore research, intervention strategies, and resources to assist professionals in preserving connections among siblings.

Table of Contents

1 - Defining a sibling relationship

2 - The importance of siblings

3 - Sibling relationships in abusive or neglectful families

4 - Benefits of placing siblings together

5 - Barriers to placing siblings together

6 - Policies and practices for keeping siblings together

7 - When siblings cannot live together

8 - Maintaining ties between separated siblings

9 - Sibling issues within the foster or adoptive family

10 - Resources for promoting intact placement of sibling groups

References

This bulletin was developed by Child Welfare Information Gateway, in partnership with Susan L. Smith, Program and Project Director of the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute. This document is made possible by the Children's Bureau, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The conclusions discussed here are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not represent the official views or policies of the funding agency.

Suggested Citation: Child Welfare Information Gateway. (2006). Sibling Issues in Foster Care and Adoption: A Bulletin for Professionals. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

You are in section: Table of Contents 1 - Defining a Sibling Relationship 2 - The Importance of Siblings 3 - Sibling Relationships in Abusive or Neglectful… 4 - Benefits of Placing Siblings Together 5 - Barriers to Placing Siblings Together 6 - Policies and Practices for Keeping Siblings… 7 - When Siblings Cannot Live Together 8 - Maintaining Ties Between Separated Siblings 9 - Sibling Issues Within the Foster or Adoptive… 10 - Resources for Promoting Intact Placement of… References

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This material may be freely reproduced and distributed. However, when doing so, please credit Child Welfare Information Gateway.

Updated on December 10, 2007