Concept mapping the needs of Flemish nonkinship foster parents who care for unaccompanied refugee minors

Abstract

Concept mapping was used to identify the needs of nonkinship foster parents from Caucasian ethnicity who care for unaccompanied refugee minors (URM) in Flanders (Dutch speaking part of Belgium). Nonkinship foster parents (n = 30) described their needs in response of the question: “What do you need to be a good foster parent for the unaccompanied refugee minor(s)?” Next, 50 unique responses were sorted by 15 foster mothers, and analyzed using multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analysis. Furthermore, foster mothers indicated the degree of importance of each statement. Fifty unique responses were grouped into eight clusters. In descending order of importance these clusters referred to parenting skills and a good fit of the URM into the foster family, good parenting conditions and personal skills, a tolerant society and information about options for reunification, support for the URM and certainty about the future, information on and open attitude for the background and friends of the URM, preparation of the URM and reassuring contacts with the biological family and others, support and fellow contacts for foster parents, and support from the context. Their needs resemble the needs of normal foster parents, with the exception of some specific needs, such as the preparation of URM for the placement, information about the options for reunification and certainty about the future, experienced foster care workers, specialized psychological support related to trauma, openness to and information about culture, religion and language.