Out-of-home placement for children with mental retardation: dimensions of family involvement

Abstract

The involvement of families with a child who has mental retardation in residential placement was studied. Sixty-two families who had placed their child out of the home within the previous 2 years were interviewed about behavioral and emotional aspects of involvement. Involvement was high, with 81% of families having at least a monthly visit with their child. There was only marginal evidence for detachment, a lessening of involvement over these 2 years. Although family involvement related to several child and family characteristics, the strongest relation was with facility characteristics, especially opportunities for involvement in the facility.