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The adoption of children involved in the child welfare system is viewed as a favorable outcome when family reconstitution is impossible, partially due to the relationship security afforded by long-term placement permanence. Recognition of the importance of secure caregiver-child relationships has informed the development of caregiving-oriented attachment-focused services, such as those provided by the Therapeutic Family Care Program (TFCP). The present study examines the trajectories of adopted children (n = 71) between 3.33 and 13.70 years of age at first assessment (M = 7.65, SD = 2.53) involved with TFCP. Children were assessed by their caregivers on a semiannual basis using the Assessment Checklist for Children (ACC) and the ACC+, with children receiving up to 9 assessments (n = 201, M = 2.57, SD = 1.83). We conducted growth curve analyses for children's total clinical scores, self-esteem, adaptive functioning, and attachment-specific clinical domains. Results suggest that children start with clinically significant psychopathology, with older children and females having more psychosocial and attachment-related difficulties initially. Males' psychosocial functioning was stable over time, whereas females improved significantly in all domains. We discuss implications for mental health services within child welfare and future directions for research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children who have experienced maltreatment are more likely to have disrupted attachments, fewer psychosocial strengths, and poorer long-term psychosocial outcomes. However, few studies have examined the interplay between attachment security and psychosocial strengths among children involved in therapeutic services in the context of the child welfare system. The present longitudinal study examines the insecure attachment behaviors and psychosocial strengths of 555 children referred to the Therapeutic Family Care program (TFCP) in Cobourg, Ontario between 2000 and 2019. The children were assessed by their caregivers on a regular basis using the Assessment Checklist for Children (ACC) and the complementary strengths-focused ACC+ measure. Average age of children at baseline was 9.57 years ( SD = 3.51) and 229 (41.26%) were female. We conducted growth curve and random intercepts cross-lagged panel models to test the longitudinal interplay between insecure attachment behaviors and strengths. Results suggest that females' attachment security improved, males' attachment security worsened, and both males and females developed strengths over time. Further, analyses revealed a directional effect, whereby fewer insecure attachment behaviors predicted more psychosocial strengths approximately 6 months later. Implications for attachment-oriented and strengths-based services in the context of child welfare are discussed.