(Re)defining family: A systematic review and meta-synthesis of foster children’s views of family in non-kinship foster care

Abstract

BackgroundFoster children in non-kinship foster care experience multiple changes in their family situation, leading them to reflect more on the meaning of family and where they belong. Yet, the current literature lacks a comprehensive synthesis of foster children’s perspectives on family and the approaches used to examine them. GoalThis systematic review and meta-synthesis examines (1) what family means to foster children and (2) who they consider family, as well as (3) the patterns within and between studies examining their family understandings in terms of study characteristics, design, and outcomes. MethodsIn November 2022, the Web of Science Core Collection, ProQuest Central, and Scopus databases were queried without restrictions on date or geographic location, resulting in 2879 records. Following PRISMA guidelines, 21 articles were selected for analysis. Results(1) Foster children’s meanings of family encompassed biological relatedness, the act of doing family, an ongoing process and/or a weird concept. (2) Who foster children considered family could be categorized into the following groups: belonging to one family (either their birth or foster family), belonging to two families (birth and foster family), belonging to multiple family systems, or experiencing no sense of family. (3) We identified two research approaches: the dual approach, which states that foster children can belong to a maximum of two families, their birth family and/or foster family, and the plural approach, which states that foster children can belong to various family systems. DiscussionThe findings emphasize the important role of foster care workers in assisting foster children exercise relational agency, helping foster children make sense of their positions, and actively seeking ways in which foster children can develop or strengthen healthy connections, relationships, and family belonging. For researchers studying family perspectives in foster care, it is important to be aware of how these two research approaches shape their family conceptualization, study design, and presentation of findings. Further implications for practice and research are discussed and a future research agenda is outlined.