Greetings! I am very excited to pen my first Editor’s Note as the new Editor of Residential Treatment for Children & Youth. When I was fresh out of college, I worked in a group home and remember eagerly reading this journal to learn more about best practices in residential care. I eventually went to graduate school and became an academic researcher, but the questions about how we can best serve youth and families in residential programs continue to be a key interest of mine. Over the years, I have sought out the journal to find innovative practices and knowledge-building specific to the unique residential milieu. As Editor, I am committed to ensuring the journal remains a place where new ideas based in research and practice wisdom are shared.
I am pleased to join the lineage of caretakers for this journal. Former Editor Sigrid James made incredible strides in expanding the global reach of the journal and broadening our understanding of residential care around the globe. I will continue to encourage and welcome submissions that reflect the diversity of nations where youth are served in residential settings. Prior to Dr. James, Dr. John Lyons steered the ship and cultivated thought-provoking exchanges within the journal’s issues. I am indebted to the previous Editors and am privileged to count them as mentors. In addition to the Editors, members of the Editorial Board (almost three dozen strong!) provide invaluable service to the journal by offering ideas, direction, encouragement, and generously offering their time to complete reviews of submitted manuscripts. The journal’s partnership with the Association for Children’s Residential Centers (ACRC) ensures we stay grounded in real-world practice. I enjoyed meeting many ACRC members at the meeting in Boston this spring and hope to meet many more of you in New Orleans in 2019.
Now, on to the highlights of this issue, which feature residential care programs in Netherlands, Germany, Canada, and the US. The prevalence of trauma within the residential population is addressed by two of the papers. Forrest and co-authors consider a trauma-informed model for reduced restraints and injuries in the milieu. Allroggen and team estimated the prevalence of sexual abuse victimization among youth in group care and boarding schools. Although it was not clear whether the abuse happened before or since placement, this study reminds us of the importance of promoting safety and healing within residential settings.
The key components of effective residential care are considered in the other three papers. Strijbosch and colleagues remind us of the importance of monitoring youth alliance to front-line staff as well as the climate of peers in the group. Harder considers the key ingredients to promote lasting changes beyond the residential placement. These include self-determination, motivation, and common factors of positive therapeutic relationships. To promote positive outcomes following care, Preyde and co-authors present a case study of individualized aftercare supports.
I hope this issue spurs engaging discussions and new ideas for practice. I encourage you to participate in the journal by submitting empirical and conceptual papers about your work in residential treatment. As a reminder, the call for submissions for the special issue on Partnering with Families in Residential Treatment is open through December 15th.
Sincerely,
Bethany Lee
University of Maryland School of Social Work