“…There has been important, though limited, work on the relationship between foster youth and their caregivers. The importance of the quality of the relationship between infants and toddlers in foster care and their caregivers has been elevated by a number of researchers (Cole, 2006; Harden, 2007; Harden & Klein, 2011; Spieker, Oxford, Kelly, Nelson, & Fleming, 2012). Studies of the alliance/relationship between caregivers and youth in treatment foster care have demonstrated that positive relationships between foster parents and youth are critically important for achieving desired emotional and behavioral outcomes among emotionally disturbed youth in out-of-home care (Bickman et al, 2004; Chamberlain, 2003; Kazdin, Marciano, & Whitley, 2005; Rauktis et al, 2005; Shirk & Karver, 2003; Southerland, Mustillo, Farmer, Stambaugh, & Murray, 2009).…”