The Ties That Bind: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Siblings in Foster Care

Research on siblings in foster care has been limited to date, despite the fact that most children in out-of-home care also have siblings in system. Using administrative data, this study examines a cross-section (N = 35,216) of foster children in a large metropolitan area of the Western United States to determine the factors associated with intact sibling placement. Starting care at the same time, placement in relative care, and matched gendered pairs were highly associated with intact sibling placement, while age and placement in group care were negatively associated. A discussion in light of recent legislation is presented.