Abstract The fundamental question explored in this study concerns the relationship between age and the risk of placement into foster care, the likelihood a child will leave placement, and the likelihood a child will return to foster care having been discharged. The study is based on the experiences of more than 690,000 children in 11 states over an eight‐year period, from 1990 to 1997. The results suggest quite strongly that very young children are at greatest risk of entry into foster care, particularly if they are from urban areas. Specifically, 1% of children under one year and 2.5% of children under the age of four months enter foster care. Moreover, once in care, children under the age of four months at the time of placement remain in foster care longer than other children. The implications of these findings for public policy and future research are discussed. ©2002 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health.
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