Informal Support Networks of Parents Involved With the Child Welfare System: Needs and Mental Health Symptoms

Abstract

Studies show the protective power of informal support networks for parents, however, most research in this area is not specific to the child welfare context. With a sample of parents with children involved with the U.S. child welfare system due to substantiated child maltreatment (N = 118), latent profile analyses revealed three distinct profiles of parents’ informal support networks including perceived support, received support, and network demands. The profiles were associated with differences in sociodemographic risks, ACEs, and symptoms of depression and stress. Parents with four or more ACEs were more likely to be classified in the very little support profile versus the profile of parents with some support. Parents who had high levels of informal network support and a manageable level of network demands had lower levels of depression and stress compared to parents with very little network support. Implications for research and practice are discussed.