Sydney Ross, together with ICON members Josephine Jackisch and Ylva B Almquist, has published a systematic review of qualitative research focusing on socioeconomic and psychosocial conditions of parents with children in out-of-home care.
About the study
Families who have contact with child welfare services (CWS) often face a number of socioeconomic and psychosocial challenges, which may have led to the parents being unable to adequately care for their children. To date, understandings regarding the parents’ socioeconomic and psychosocial conditions after the placement of a child are limited.
A database search of PubMed, Sociological abstract, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science was performed to identify studies that investigate the socioeconomic and psychosocial conditions of parents with children in OHC published between January 1, 1980 and November 20, 2021. Of 19,750 screened articles, 51 qualitative articles met the inclusion criteria.
Emerging themes relating to parents’ subjective experiences were synthesized into three overarching themes: (1) experiencing a loss, (2) living a fragile reality, and (3) opportunity for change.
The results demonstrate that more support is needed for parents as the placement of their child is a challenging time that places stress on their psychosocial and socioeconomic conditions, no matter the reason for placement. With the right support, positive adaptations could be possible.
Highlights
Findings from this review put the intensity of the grief and loss into sharp focus. Acknowledging these psychosocial consequences for parents whose children are looked after should lead to the increased availability of mental health and other social services to cope with this experience.
On a societal level, programs aimed at encouraging positive discussions around child welfare services can help to reduce the stigma surrounding these parents. The societal norms that contribute to stigma and stereotyping are a source of suffering and create barriers for more positive adaptation.
It is urgent to identify ways to better support vulnerable families without accelerating mistrust towards institutions and exacerbating the underlying socioeconomic or psychosocial problems.
Publication details
Ross, S., Jackisch, J., & Almquist, Y. B. (2025). Socioeconomic and psychosocial conditions of parents with children in out-of-home care: a qualitative systematic review. Children and Youth Services Review, 108163.
Read more: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2025.108163
Featured authors
Josephine Jackisch
Laboratory of Population Health
Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research
https://www.demogr.mpg.de/en/about_us_6113/staff_directory_1899/josephine_jackisch_4001/
Ylva B Almquist
Centre for Health Equity Studies (CHESS)
Department of Public Health Sciences
Stockholm University
https://www.su.se/english/profiles/yerik-1.186985
