Connection and Continuity in Foster Care

1996 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 14-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathleen Kufeldt ◽  
James Kufeldt ◽  
Marshall Dorosh
Keyword(s):  
Foster Care ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Effective Response ◽  
Birth Parents ◽  
Substitute Care

Based on interviews with children, birth parents, foster carers and social workers in the province of Ontario, Kathleen Kufeldt, James Armstrong and Marshall Dorosh explore some of the benefits and pitfalls of fostering as an effective response to children ‘in need’ of substitute care. Among the more surprising findings of their study is the high percentage of respondents who assert that, in retrospect, coming into care was the best solution to their particular situation. At the same time, the majority among all four sets of participants are in favour of maintaining ties and involvement in the form of continuity, connection and contact with birth families. Other positive findings show that children, especially pre-adolescents, often have quite a realistic understanding of the situation leading up to their placement in care with less of a tendency to blame themselves or idealise their birth families than has previously been suggested.

Recognition of Parental Love: Birth Parents’ Experiences with Cooperation When Having a Child Placed in Family Foster Care in Denmark

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tea Torbenfeldt Bengtsson ◽  
Kirstine Karmsteen
Keyword(s):  
Foster Care ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Growing Up ◽  
Birth Parents ◽  
Parental Love ◽  
Family Foster Care ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Parents Experiences

Abstract Despite the fact that most children growing up in family foster care remain in contact with their birth parents, the experiences of birth parents have been largely neglected. This article draws on twenty-two in-depth interviews with birth parents to examine their experiences of cooperating with social workers and foster carers. Five patterns of cooperation are empirically identified in the parents’ narratives: (i) constructive cooperation; (ii) ambivalent cooperation; (iii) improved cooperation; (iv) diminishing cooperation and (v) lack of cooperation. While there are key differences in the characteristics of each pattern, there is one central similarity: all the parents seek recognition of their parenthood, especially their love for their child. Thus, actively recognising the role of parental love in parents’ motivation for cooperation can enable social workers to secure better cooperation with birth parents.

scholarly journals Medical Decision Making for Youth in the Foster Care System

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zachary Strassburger
Keyword(s):  
Foster Care ◽  
Medical Decision Making ◽  
Medical Decision ◽  
Medical Decisions ◽  
Foster Care System ◽  
Birth Parents ◽  
Birth Parent ◽  
Laws And Policies ◽  
Do So ◽  
Care System

Youth in the foster care system often have no one person who isclearly authorized to make medical decisions for them. From acaseworker insisting upon a vaccine to a birth parent refusingpermission for psychotropic medication, this paper argues that thequestion of who makes these decisions matters for children’s rights.This paper reports the results of a survey of 132 stakeholdersrepresenting all U.S. states, 17 qualitative interviews, and a reviewof relevant laws and policies. The stakeholders and legal researchrevealed that in sixteen states, common practice disagreed with thewritten laws and policies about who should be making medical decisionsfor youth in the foster care system. Most often, foster parents aremaking medical decisions despite note having legal authority to do so,and birth parents are rarely making decisions even when they arelegally allowed to do so. This paper proposes that following federallaw about promoting family reunification, birth parents should be incharge of medical decision making for the first 12-24 months. Afterthat time, the foster parent, if one is available and has showncommitment to the child, should become the medical decision maker.Such a policy would promote birth parent involvement and familyreunification while acknowledging the need of young people in care fordecision makers who can make long-term commitments to their care.

Is it worthwhile?: Motivational Factors and Perceived Difficulties of Foster Caring in South Australia

2002 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 28-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Delfabbro ◽  
John Taplin ◽  
Yvonne Bentham
Keyword(s):  
Foster Care ◽  
Family Structure ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
South Australia ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Motivational Factors ◽  
Extrinsic Factors ◽  
Foster Care System ◽  
Intrinsic Factors ◽  
Children’S Behaviour

Despite numerous anecdotal reports, very few Australian data are available concerning the characteristics of foster carers and the problems associated with foster caring. In this study by Paul Delfabbro, John Taplin and Yvonne Bentham, 48 South Australian foster carers were interviewed and asked to provide details of their motivations, family structure and concerns. The results showed that intrinsic factors such as being interested in children's well-being and future appear to be more likely reasons for caring than more extrinsic factors such as needing money or companionship. The carers' main concerns related to their frustration with the foster care system, in particular their inability to have a say in the child's future, and the lack of support from agencies and social workers. Many also expressed significant concerns about children's behaviour and the sadness associated with the child leaving. The implications of these findings for the retention of foster carers are discussed.

When Family Becomes the Job: Fostering Practice in Denmark

2010 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 52-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Christrup Kjeldsen ◽  
Marianne Bruhn Kjeldsen
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Foster Care ◽  
Substitute Care ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Preventative Services ◽  
Care System

This article by Christian Christrup Kjeldsen and Marianne Bruhn Kjeldsen discusses the provision of foster care in Denmark and considers the results of recent domestic studies of foster carers as well as current debates and changes concerning the substitute care of children. It suggests that Denmark's emphasis on preventative services and the low use of adoption influence the characteristics of children who enter the care system because the separation from their families of children who are at risk of harm is delayed. It is also the case that despite Denmark's reputation as a welfare-oriented state, the fostering system displays many tensions and difficulties similar to those reported in the UK and US. Some of these problems can be attributed to the role afforded to foster carers, especially the requirement not to get too attached to the children, and the division of responsibility between professionals and carers. As a result, it is argued that some children in need of long-term emotional care miss out and their placements disrupt unnecessarily.

Support in foster care … looking for best practice

2006 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 4-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cas O’Neill
Keyword(s):  
Foster Care ◽  
Inner City ◽  
Professional Practice ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Supportive Relationships ◽  
Birth Parents ◽  
The Everyday ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Care Agency ◽  
Care Support

We all know what we personally find supportive and unsupportive. However, transforming the everyday ordinariness of what we experience as support into professional practice is not quite as simple as it may seem.This paper explores some of the theories of support, how support works (including dilemmas for givers and receivers of support), supportive relationships and non-support. The theoretical material is illustrated with findings from research undertaken at a small inner city Melbourne foster care agency, Share Care. Birth parents, caregivers and social workers talk about their experiences as givers and receivers of support.The research findings, in association with the theoretical material, provide insights into what could be seen as ‘best practice’ in terms of foster care support.

Avoiding saying too much: The complexity of relationships between permanent parents and social workers

2001 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 19-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cas O’Neill
Keyword(s):  
Foster Care ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Longitudinal Research ◽  
Physical Punishment ◽  
Adoptive Parents ◽  
Research Project ◽  
Change Over Time ◽  
Parenting Expectations ◽  
Over Time

Relationships between social workers and foster care, permanent care and adoptive parents are based on a combination ofknowledge, power, partnership and support, the ‘mix’ of which is likely to change over time. Different interpretations of what each side contributes to these relationships during assessment and post-placement contact, add to the complexity which parents and workers negotiate.In a longitudinal research project on support in permanent placements, avoiding saying too much was an important part of these relationships. ‘Good’ and ‘bad’ parenting, expectations, blame, physical punishment and not coping are just some of the issues which were not spoken about.This article explores the gap between the things which can be said and the things which are rarely said, and looks at how this gap affects relationships between fami lies and workers.

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