Predictors of foster father’s engagement in foster family homes

Research background: Foster fatherhood is undoubtedly a specific kind of fatherhood, since the man, often being a husband and father to his biological offspring, makes the decision to play the role of a foster father, the performance of which requires a high level of engagement in the realization of caring-rearing as well as compensatory activities, which – in turn – call for constant raising of the competences of working with an orphaned child.Research aim: To learn about the factors which condition the level of involvement of foster fathers in the realization of parenting activity in family-run children’s homes in both the global and partial dimensions.Research method: In the study, the method of diagnostic survey and that of assessment were applied.Obtained results: The analyses proved that the level of engagement of foster fathers in the realization of parenting activity in family-run children’s homes is to a large extent conditioned by foster fathers’ personality factors; to a smaller degree it is influenced by sociodemographic factors or those which are based in the system of social welfare.Conclusions: The specific nature of tasks set for a family-run children’s home demands that foster fathers should engage in the realization of parenting activity to the highest possible degree. It is thus not only important for men to be prepared to play the role of a foster father, but it is also vital to constantly support them in this role.

Social competences of professional foster parents

The aim of the study was to determine the structure of social competences of professional foster parents using the Social Competence Questionnaire A. Matczak (2001). The study included 167 professional foster parents carrying out family emergency tasks in the Śląskie and Małopolskie voivodships. Research results show that more than half of the respondents are characterized by an average, and more than one-third by a high level of social competence. Compared to the results of the general population, foster mothers have significantly higher competences on the intimacy scale, and foster fathers on the assertiveness scale. In comparison with representatives of other social professions (nurses, family assistants), foster mothers have significantly higher social competences in the intimacy scale compared to nurses. In comparison with family assistants, the results obtained are comparable.

Cú Chulainn and Expressions of Foster Fatherhood

This chapter introduces the concept of fosterage in medieval Ireland, who was fostered, by whom and the terminology that was used to express these relationships. How fosterage was practiced will have an effect on the emotions within fosterage were created and expressed. Taking the figure of Cú Chulainn as a case study, we see that maternal kin were usually used as fosterers and so the practice allowed a continued emotional connection to remain with the mother’s family. Cú Chulainn’s multiple fosterage is used to examine how prevalent that practice was in medieval Irish society and what impact it had on the bond between foster fathers and their foster children.

Pemberdayaan Masyarakat Miskin Melalui Program Usaha Peningkatan Pendapatan Keluarga Sejahtera (UPPKS) di Kota Padang Panjang

This study aims to determine how the process of implementing a business program to increase the income of prosperous families in the city of Padang Panjang, identify the obstacles encountered and find out the efforts taken in overcoming obstacles in the implementation of the program. This research is motivated by the fact that not all people from the poor are included, efforts are not carried out collectively, lack of participation from prosperous family groups III plus to want to act as foster father, the amount of capital provided by the government is insufficient in the implementation of UPPKS activities and often capital in the wrong use for consumptive purposes.The method used in this research is qualitative by using descriptive methods, because the study provides a description of the situation as it should. The selection of informants is done by purposive sampling. The type of data is primary data and secondary data collected through observation, interviews and documentation studies. The validity test is done through triangulation of sources. Then the data analysis techniques used can be grouped in 3 stages, namely data reduction, presentation and drawing conclusions.Research findings indicate that the implementation of the UPPKS program is in accordance with existing procedures but has not been fully able to improve the welfare of its members and is not optimal. This can be seen with the still found obstacles in the implementation, the obstacles encountered in the implementation of the UPPKS program in the city of Padang Panjang can be categorized into two forms, namely internal and external constraints. Internal constraints include: weak oversight of the program, lack of capital sourced from the government, uneven development. And external constraints include: the use of aid that has not been maximized, the lack of creativity and innovation of some groups in finding and utilizing sources of funds, the late repayment of loans. To overcome obstacles in the process of implementing the UPPKS program, efforts were made to include prosperous families III acting as foster fathers in groups, conducting coaching, and constraints originating from program participants made efforts such as mentoring regarding the UPPKS program's true purpose, conducting a ball pick-up system on the member who is stuck in payment.

Zaangażowanie ojców zastępczych w realizację rodzicielskiej działalności w rodzinnych domach dziecka

The subject of this article discussion was the involvement of foster fathers in the parental activity implementation in family children’s homes. The research problem was formulated in the following question: What is the level of involvement of foster fathers in the parental activity implementation both in the global and partial dimensions? The research involved 55 foster fathers from 55 family children’s homes. The applied research tool was a Scale of the Foster Father’s Involvement in Child Care and Upbringing. The statistical analysis of the collected material allowed to give the following answer: the level of the foster fathers’ involvement in the parental activity implementation in family children’s homes, on a global scale, is high (78.19%) and medium (21.81%). Furthermore, it was found that the involvement level in the area of care is – 87.28% (foster fathers with a high level of involvement) and 12.72% (foster fathers with a medium level of involvement); in the area of upbringing – 81.81% (foster fathers with a high level of involvement) and 18.19% (foster fathers with a medium level of involvement); in the area of interest in a child – 72.72% (foster fathers with a high level of involvement) and 25.46% (foster fathers with a medium level of involvement); in the area of orphanhood compensation – 76.37% (foster fathers with a high level of involvement) and 21.81% (foster fathers with a medium level of involvement).

Providing Love and Care

This chapter examines the ambiguity of the foster parent role in the post-World War II period, looking particularly at analogies to other kinds of parenting. It explores efforts by child welfare professionals to reconcile their ambivalent feelings about foster parents through the creation and promotion of national standards for foster care and foster parenting. The chapter looks closely at professional writings about the foster mother role and the reasons why foster fathers received so little attention. It also examines the ways in which foster parents resisted their proscribed role, notably through attempting to adopt children in their care.

Heliodorus (4), Greek novelist, c. 4th century CE

Heliodorus was the author of the Aethiopica, the latest and longest Greek novel to survive from antiquity. In his work, Heliodorus claims to be a Phoenician from Emesa, but there are good reasons against treating this as an authoritative autobiographical statement. The Aethiopica tells the adventures of Charicleia, the white daughter of the black queen and king of Ethiopia. Her mother abandons her, and she is brought up by foster-fathers in Ethiopia and Delphi. There she falls in love with the young Greek Theagenes, with whom she travels via Egypt to Ethiopia. They are almost sacrificed to the local gods, but Charicleia’s parents eventually recognise her. The protagonists become priests and marry. The novel is a narratologically ambitious work that draws on the structure of the Odyssey (in mediis rebus beginning, embedded heterodiegetic narratives) and takes these devices to a whole new level. A wide range of topics play important roles in the Aethiopica, such as religion, multiculturalism, identity, and epistemology.