How do foster children placed in long-term family foster care experience school?

Background: Foster children often experience school problems and perform less well than average. This may result in failed school careers and compromised future career paths. Nonetheless, few studies have focused on the perspective of foster children regarding education. Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 27 foster children (M = 14 years, range = 12–18 years) placed in long-term family foster care about their experiences regarding “school.” Results: A thematic analysis distinguished four main themes: (1) the importance of school for foster children; (2) the impact of the foster care placement on the school performance (3) support foster children receive with regard to their functioning and performance at school; and (4) the fear of stigmatization. Discussion: Foster children attach a great importance to school and receive support from different persons. Yet, many foster children are confronted with school difficulties, such as bullying, hindered concentration, and negative reactions to being placed in foster care. Interventions should be developed to support this group and improve their performances. Furthermore, actors who get in touch with foster children should be better acquainted with foster care.

FAMILY FOSTER CARE DILEMMAS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC – A QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS

The article is focused on the issues of family foster care functioning during the Covid-19 pandemic. The pandemic caused many significant changes and restrictions in social, institutional and family functioning and had an impact on the organization and functioning of the foster care system. The results of the qualitative research presented in this article describe the challenges and difficulties that foster care providers, organizers of foster care and supporting non-governmental organizations had to face. Conclusions were formulated, including proposals for actions to improve the functioning of family foster care during subsequent health crises and postulates for changes in educational practice and social policy.

On the bright side: Young people’s most positive memories of family foster care

This study explored what contributes to successful family foster care from the perspective of young people by asking them about their most positive memory of family foster care. Forty-four Dutch adolescents and young adults (aged 16–28) participated in this study and shared their most positive memory in a short interview. Their answers were qualitatively analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis, supplemented with an analysis of the structure of their memories. The thematic analysis resulted in the themes Belongingness, Receiving support, Normal family life, It is better than before, and Seeing yourself grow. The structural analysis showed that young people both shared memories related to specific events, as well as memories that portrayed how they felt for a prolonged period of time. In addition, young people were inclined to share negative memories alongside the positive memories. These results highlight that, in order to build a sense of belonging, it is important that of foster parents create a normal family environment for foster children and provide continuous support. Moreover, the negative memories shared by participants are discussed in light of a bias resulting from earlier traumatic experiences.

O ACOLHIMENTO FAMILIAR DE CRIANÇAS EM PORTUGAL – EVIDÊNCIAS E DESAFIOS

Resumo: Este artigo carateriza o sistema português de acolhimento familiar, que apresenta uma das taxas mais altas de colocação de crianças em acolhimento residencial, em comparação com outros países europeus. Descreve a sua evolução histórica, o quadro legal em vigor, e o papel dos principais atores envolvidos no processo de acolhimento. Procura, igualmente, identificar os fatores que estão na génese de um sistema de acolhimento que permanece centrado, e até tem reforçado, nos últimos anos, a utilização do acolhimento residencial. Este estudo baseia-se na análise do enquadramento jurídico e político, e destaca, na investigação científica realizada em Portugal, no século XXI, um conjunto de testemunhos de crianças, acolhedores e famílias que interpretam, em primeira pessoa, os avanços, as dificuldades e os desafios associados ao acolhimento. Termina com uma identificação dos desafios que se colocam na prática, e ao decisor político, para se desenvolver um processo de desinstitucionalização bem-sucedido e entre os quais se incluem: (i) a divulgação e promoção da cultura do acolhimento familiar; (ii) a seleção e a formação de novas famílias de acolhimento; (iii) a disponibilização e o aperfeiçoamento da informação que permitam uma efetiva monitorização do sistema; (iv) e a reclassificação dos tipos e modalidades de acolhimento familiar.Palavras-chave: Acolhimento familiar. Portugal. Evidências. Desafios.Abstract: This article characterizes the Portuguese family foster care system, which has one of the highest rates of placement of children in residential care, compared to other European countries. It describes its historical evolution, the legal framework in force, and the role of the main actors involved in this type of family placement. It also seeks to identify the factors that are at the origin of a care system that remains centered, and has even reinforced, in recent years, the use of residential care. This study is based on the analysis of the legal and political framework, and highlights in the scientific research carried out in Portugal in the 21st century a set of testimonies from children, caregivers and families who interpret in first person the advances, difficulties and challenges associated with foster care. It ends with an identification of challenges that are posed in practice, and to the decision maker, to develop a successful deinstitutionalization process, and among which are included (i) the dissemination and promotion of foster care culture; (ii) the selection and training of new fostercare families; (iii) the availability and improvement of information that allows an effective monitoring of the system; (iv) and the reclassification of types and modalities of foster care.Key Words: Foster care. Portugal. Evidence. Challenges.

The state of family assistance profession in Poland. Conclusions from own research

This article is about the profession of the family assistant and complexity of their work environment. In the framework of the empirical research attempts were made to answer questions regarding cooperation of family assistants with the supported families and with the employees of aid institutions, such as police officers, coordinators of family foster care, educational and judiciary professionals and social workers. They also sought to identify and depict the mutual relationships among the social groups, to define the socio-occupational position of family assistants and how they perceive their work. The empirical research carried out within the qualitative methodological framework in the Province of Opole. The research sample included 111 respondents. The applied technique was the in-dept interview, relying on three different interview questionnaires, one per each group: family assistants, assistance services, and supported families. The collected empirical material was subjected to content analysis and numerous conclusions were drawn.

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

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.

ORGANIZERS AND COORDINATORS OF FAMILY FOSTER CARE

Family is an environment that contributes to child development in the best benefi cial way. The State should support families through its entities and institutions and it should ensure that a child shall not be separated from their parents if it is not necessary. However, there are situations when it is necessary to place a child in a foster family for the child’s best interest. There reasons why a child should be separated from his family, although sometimes diff erent, must always be serious. Foster upbringing environment, especially a foster family, requires organization and co-ordination, but these problems have not been fully or separately raised in existing literature concerning foster care. That is why the study aims at analyzing legal regulations concerning organizers and coordinators of family foster care and at presenting statistical data that show organization and coordination of family foster care in practice. Support of organizers and coordinators of family foster care contributes to ensuring the highest standard of care for children who are brought up outside their natural families and in this way it contributes to realizing the best interest of the child.

Attachment in family foster care: Literature review of associated characteristics

Foster children often had negative experiences in the past, which can contribute to attachment problems. In their meta-analysis, van den Dries et al. found that foster children were more often disorganized attached when compared to the general population. It is to be expected that the quality of attachment between the foster children and their foster parents is related to various factors. However, research into which factors are associated with the development of secure attachment is scarce. Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses method, a total of 13 articles were included in this review. This review provides an overview of the associated characteristics with the quality of attachment between foster carers and foster children. In the articles included in this review, the foster carers’ characteristics were often described as more important than characteristics of the foster child and placement when it comes to developing a secure attachment. The most consensus, although not unanimous, existed on the finding that a positive, sensitive parenting style of foster parents was positively related to a secure attachment between the foster children and their foster carers.