Behavioral Observation and Analysis of Participants in Foster Care Visits

Abstract

ObjectiveTo identify situations and behaviors occurring during contact visits that are likely to have an impact on a foster child's well‐being.BackgroundIt has been argued that contact visits between foster children and birth parents can help to maintain attachment bonds and support the child's development. However, contact continues to be a subject of controversy, and evidence of both benefits and drawbacks has been reported in the literature. Few studies have examined what actually occurs during such visits, how parents and children interact, and what role is played by those involved.MethodWe conducted an in‐depth qualitative observational analysis of the behavior of participants in contact visits (birth parent, child, and social worker), as well as of the characteristics of the venue. Participants were 20 children in nonkinship foster care and their birth parents. Information regarding the characteristics of visits was provided by the child protection services and the fostering agencies involved.ResultsThe analysis revealed a large number of positive behaviors among parents, children, and social workers, but also the need for improvement in several areas (e.g., family relationships, social/communication skills, and presents).ConclusionsThis study highlights the need to improve contact visits by developing intervention strategies targeting all those involved. Notably, the support and supervision provided by social workers was not always adequate.ImplicationsThe results of this study could be used to develop an instrument for assessing the quality of contact visits and identifying aspects that need to be improved.