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Collection and maintenance of vital child records in the foster care system
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Collection and maintenance of vital child records in the foster care system

Kristen D. Seay, Amanda Stafford Mcrell, Sarah Ayovi-Pace, Sue Levkoff, Benjamin Schooley and Neset Hikmet
Journal of public child welfare
24 Apr 2026

Abstract

Social Sciences Social Work
Accurate and complete recordkeeping is essential for foster care case managers (CMs) but challenging with this complex job. This study examined CMs' experiences maintaining health and educational records and the barriers and facilitators to complete recordkeeping. Four semi-structured focus groups were held with public foster care CMs (n=16) across one southeastern US state. A codebook was developed and revised through inductive thematic analysis. Recordkeeping barriers included competing demands on case manager time, insufficient training, challenges with family participation, discoordination between relevant parties, difficult legal processes, and insufficient time. Facilitators included innovation, building strong relationships between agencies, teamwork, and streamlined processes.

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