‘Of course you will succeed warrior ': Sensitive closings of WhatsApp conversations by professional foster parents

Abstract

Good collaboration between professional foster parents (PFPs) and birth parents (BPs) is of great importance for the well-being of out-of-home placed youngsters in family-style group care. Previous studies have shown that WhatsApp has become an important medium in the professional communication between professional foster parents and birth parents as it offers the possibility to send movies and photos in addition to text. This research has identified two ways in which professional foster parents are closing WhatsApp conversations in a sensitive manner. Professional foster parents are setting boundaries by encouraging and making a reference to the future, often accompanied by emoji: (1) Encouragements are apparent in expressions that compliment, comfort and invite to ‘let it go’. (2) Professional foster parents make reference to the future in a wish, proposal or promise. Furthermore, the asymmetrical nature of the relationship becomes clear in the coaching role adopted by professional foster parents, and the observation that solely professional foster parents at times remain silent or do not respond in closing interactions. In short, sensitive boundary setting in closing sequences demonstrates how the institutional character of the relationship is embodied in the WhatsApp communication between professional foster parents and birth parents.