Congregate Care

Is it a good solution for children

12-18 yrs old in the Foster Care
Program?
Based on Large metropolitan Areas in the US
By: Brooke Carroll, Katie Angerhofer, Karla Ochoa, Alex Dalley, and Ryland Savage

Congregate care, or group housing, is often used for adolescent aged

children in the foster care program. This program is often chosen because
adoption of adolescents is less common and it is easier than placing
individual children in individual homes. Congregate care is disadvantageous
for many reasons and presents social, mental, educational, and safety issues.

Effects on Teenagers in Congregate Care

Social Mental and Education Safety
Many youth in a
Adolescents in Emotional congregate care setting
Congregate Care tend
Because of decreased social For adolescents in feel insecure as a result
to experience social
interactions with family and congregate care there is of peer-on-peer violence
issues due to: Poor
peers, children in congregate less support for and gang-related
choice of friends,
care often suffer from educational pursuits.
exposure to violence, activity.
depression and anxiety. Only about 50% of
engaging in high risk Youth’s belongings are
Children also suffer from a wide children in congregate
behaviors, lack of at constant risk of a
range of mental disorders. care graduate high
exposure to
school. being stolen which is is
normalizing activities,
In many cases, a prevalent problem in
and behavioral
education is the least of congregate care.
issues. This is often
their concern because of An insufficient amount
due to lack of good
the lack of support,
peer relationships, of adequately trained
mentors, nurture, and staff in congregate care
care-giving. is directly tied to youth
60% OF
CHILDREN IN safety.
55,916 U.S. CONGREGATE
CHILDREN IN CARE HAVE
CONGREGATE MENTAL
CARE HEALTH
PROBLEMS

Current Programs Issues

Services Involvement
Congregate care lacks a focus on education, gives Youth are not adequately involved in planning and
insufficient resources to mental health needs and overall decision-making on matters that directly affect them.
lacks quality service availability. Youth have limited involvement in Service Plan Reviews
(SPRs) and are rarely given the opportunity to participate
in court hearings regarding their cases.

Permanency Placement
Congregate care facilities do not work closely with families
Congregate care does not provide a “family-like” setting
to encourage parent-youth visits and re-unification with the
and has a wide variety of care quality. Staff quality also
parents. Additionally, inadequate attention is given to
affects facility quality.
identifying extended family members who can be
permanent resources to the youth.

Safety Transition
Youth are not being adequately prepared to transition
Youth often are not personally safe in congregate care from foster care to living independently as adults.
settings as the result of peer to peer violence, stealing of Housing is particularly problematic for youth who
youth’s belongings, and insufficiently trained staff. leave care with a goal of independent living.

Conclusion
There are 55,196 children who live in congregate care facilities and who rely on these
facilities for their primary care. These children are disadvantaged because they are
not involved in their placement into these programs, lack access to necessary
services, frequently live in inadequate safe living conditions, and are not properly
prepared for transition out of the foster-care program. These children are not
receiving proper physical, mental and emotional, safety, and social support and
care.