Foster parent involvement in service planning: Does it increase job satisfaction?

Abstract

A substantial decline in the number of qualified foster homes and a sharp increase in the number of children in need of foster care has led child welfare professionals to place greater emphasis on foster parent retention. While agencies can do little to retain foster parents who leave the system for personal reasons, those who leave because of dissatisfaction with agency policies and practices can be retained if the reasons for their dissatisfaction are identified and eliminated. One factor commonly identified as being responsible for foster parent dissatisfaction is lack of foster parent involvement in service planning. This study examines the role of foster parents in service planning and uses survey data collected from New York State foster parents to determine if participation in the service planning process increases job satisfaction as hypothesized. The study's findings provide evidence that the quality of foster parent involvement in service planning has a positive effect on job satisfaction. The study also identifies factors that enhance the quality of involvement in service planning and increase the level of foster parent satisfaction.