Some Aspects of Identity Problems in Foster Families

Abstract

There has been an increasing motivation for foster care and adoption within the last years; foster parents are seen as a positive alternative to home care; furthermore there seems to be a differentiated understanding for “factual parenthood” in public opinion. Nevertheless the social status of a foster child is a problematic one; in addition there is no relevant role script for foster parents at all. These deficits lead to identity problems: the research design, interpretated in this article, is asking for self-concepts to foster parenting. By interrogation of a sample of foster parents, belonging to the “Bundesverband der Pflege—und Adoptiveltern e.V.” in Western Germany, the basis of motivation and selfconcepts can be seen more distinctively. In spite of declining numbers of children in home care and increasing places in foster care the chance of identificational continuity will be a great task in future for foster children and parents as well. In general, there is too much administration involved in the matching of foster children and foster parents and too little psychological support concerning identity problems.