Brief encounters: children in shelter for 7 days or less

Abstract This paper examines the circumstances of 1306 children in Hennepin County who were removed under urgent situations and placed, for 7 days or less, in emergency shelter care. This population represents more than one-quarter (26.13%) of the total number of children who experienced out-of-home placement (4998) in Hennepin County (1999). This study allows us to examine, briefly, the circumstances of children who are removed from their families under emergency situations, their demographic profiles and exit information following their shelter care. Two research questions guided this study: is placement in a shelter the least intrusive response for the safety needs of children in emergency situations? And, can we capture and clarify the working relationship between child protection workers and local law enforcement officers? In examining the data on shelter placement, some conclusions are drawn and recommendations are made to improve protocols that guide emergency placements.