Foster Parents Research Articles

GERAKAN ORANG TUA ASUH MENGATASI STUNTING

The incidence of stunting in Liliba Village, Oebobo Subdistrict, Kupang City, recorded 185 children experiencing stunting. There are 20 malnourished children and 70 undernourished children. Methods of stunting education and foster parent program to overcome stunting. Activities were carried out in May-August 2023. Activities were carried out in the Liliba sub-district of Kupang City. The activity results are Child A's nutritional status before the foster parent movement: body weight 11.3 kg, TB 82.6, and Lila 14.5. After 90 days of feeding, the weight was 12.4 kg, TB 85.8, and Lila 15.4. For Child J, the nutritional status of Child A before the foster parent movement was 9 kg, TB 75.3, and Lila 14.5. After 90 days of feeding, the weight was 9.1 kg, TB 78.1, and Lila 14.8. The results of educational activities are that parents' knowledge of Posyandu Jasmine 12 increased. The knowledge test results found that most participants had good knowledge before education, namely 50%. After education, 80% of family knowledge about stunting is excellent. Education about stunting is excellent for families to prevent stunting. The OTA2S program has a good impact on the nutritional status of stunted children.

Factors Associated With Stability for Children in Family Foster Care: A Study of Case Files in Six Municipalities in Sweden

ABSTRACTStability is vital for the development, health and relationships of children in family foster care. Instability can lead to social and school issues, low self‐esteem and diminished trust in caregivers. This article examines the risk and protective factors for stability for these children. Data, drawn from case files in six municipalities (n = 116), combine qualitative and quantitative analyses for a comprehensive understanding. Twenty children from each municipality were selected, with 10 in stable placements (lived in one family foster home for over a year) and 10 in unstable placements (lived in at least two different family foster homes). Quantitative results highlight the importance of factors like familiar placements, a child's age at the time of placement, behavioural challenges and the number of children in the foster home. Stable placements were more common in homes with fewer children (including foster and biological children). Qualitative findings show that in some instances, breakdowns in foster care placements could not be foreseen, often arising from stressful events within the foster family's life after the child's placement. Additionally, we observed that breakdowns sometimes resulted from foster parents lacking the necessary resources to address the child's requirements, particularly in cases involving children with behavioural challenges or extensive needs.

Nest switching vs. nest integration: a comment on Fernandez-Duque et al.

AbstractFernandez-Duque et al. (Evol Ecol 37:859-869, 2023) reported instances where fledglings, able to move freely, were found in the nests of others of the same species containing chicks that were too young to fly. Interestingly, the foster parents fed these intruder fledglings. The researchers identified this as a novel behavior and termed it “Nest Integration.” However, this behavior had been documented previously as “nest switching” in both ornithological and behavioral literature. By integrating the findings of Fernandez-Duque et al. with the literature on nest switching, the evolution of nest switching highlighted by them, and the conditions that might promote it, could be better understood.

Towards a Social Ecological Approach to Supporting Caseworkers in Promoting the Online Safety of Youth in Foster Care

This research examines how caseworkers collaborate with foster families to address adolescent online safety. We interviewed 32 caseworkers who worked with teens (ages 13-17) in foster care within the past 5 years. Using thematic analysis, we found that case managers are most concerned about sexual-related risks that result in physical abuse (e.g., sex trafficking) or online interactions that facilitated offline risks (e.g., runaway, illegal drug activity), rather than risks that only manifested in virtual spaces. Yet, inadequate training and insufficient support left caseworkers at a loss for how to address these challenges on top of their already heavy caseloads, often making online safety an afterthought. We call on the foster care system to place a higher priority in providing collaborative and socio-technical ecological support for caseworkers, foster parents, and children, so that early risk prevention in online spaces can support the safety and well-being of foster youth offline.

Providers' experiences collaborating with child welfare workers: The good, the bad, and the impacts

BackgroundSuccessful interprofessional collaborations have been identified as a potential solution to mitigate problems associated with negative outcomes for clients involved with the child welfare system. The barriers to collaborative relationships need to be better understood and effectively addressed. ObjectiveTo understand the characteristics, barriers, and facilitators of collaborations between different types of providers and child welfare workers, as well as their impacts. Participants and settingMental health professionals, foster and kinship parents, legal professionals, and other providers responded to an online survey distributed in a Northeastern State of the United States of America. MethodParticipants (n = 208) completed the Quality of Collaboration with Child Welfare survey. Qualitative responses were analyzed by three coders using three levels of axial coding with constant comparison. ResultsParticipants identified different aspects of communication, relationships, and follow-through as key elements of successful collaborations, as well as the items most likely to interfere with their formation. Providers differed somewhat in how concerned they were with various aspects of collaborations in accordance with their professional roles. Barriers to successful collaborations included both individual and systemic factors which often resulted in negative outcomes. Overall, more negative experiences were offered than positive ones. ConclusionsStrategies are needed to improve communication, promote positive relationships, and address systemic barriers to enhance collaboration and, in turn, improve outcomes for child welfare-involved clients.

Feasibility and acceptability of a family navigator program to support foster parents of youth with mental health concerns

This pilot study assessed the acceptability and feasibility of the PROviding ACcess To InnoVative &Evidence-Based Intervention (PROACTIVE) Family Navigator Program for foster parents of children with mental health needs. Foster parents (n = 7) participated in four video conference sessions with a family navigator over the course of one month. In this study, family navigators were psychology doctoral students with mental health training. Feasibility and acceptability were measured with post-session surveys completed by family navigators and participants as well as a participant-completed survey following completion of the program. Feasibility and acceptability were both found to be excellent. Foster parents provided very positive satisfaction ratings for all aspects of the program. This pilot study provided preliminary support for the feasibility and acceptability of the PROACTIVE Family Navigator Program. With the experienced gained in this pilot work, we will design a randomized controlled trial with a fully powered sample to evaluate the efficacy of this program on building foster parent capacity to manage their child’s mental health needs.

Enuresis and psychological concerns in a foster care population.

This study examined the relationships between psychological factors and enuresis in a population of children placed in foster care in New York State. Participants included 228 children (55% female, 45% male; 64% Black, 19% Hispanic/Latino, 7% White, 1% Asian, 3% multiracial) who were recently placed in care and had obtained an intake and psychological and/or psychiatric evaluation at the time of placement, which included foster parent or caregiver report about enuresis concerns at the time of assessment. This study conducted a review of those for whom enuresis concerns were identified and examined the prevalence of social-emotional concerns among this group when compared with the nonenuresis sample and the general population. The results showed that children in this foster care sample experience enuresis at a higher rate than children in the general population. Participants with enuresis tended to score lower on measures of adaptive and socialization skills and higher on measures of anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress. The findings have implications for treatment, which should include both behavioral and psychological interventions. Limitations, including self-reporting of enuresis and sample convenience, are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Trend Effects of Being in Care, from Early to Late Adulthood: A Comparative Look at Adults Who Were in Residential or Foster Care As Children and Those Who Did Not Experience Out-Of-Home Care

ABSTRACT While there is a growing body of research suggesting that care leavers experience disadvantages in early adulthood. There is only one study at hand, that use panel data to analyze long term effects. Based on this idea, we examine data from the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP), covering a 50-year period, and use matching methods to compare care leavers who have been in residential care or lived with foster parents to a control group. The results indicate that being placed in out-of-home care is associated with disadvantages in terms of unemployment, life satisfaction and health. The results regarding satisfaction with leisure vary, and no clear picture emerges here. Differences in health are more relevant in late adulthood. Differences between residential care leavers and their peers are more stable over time than differences between former foster children and their peers.

Foster parenting in old age as a crisis. Baseline hope, generalised self-efficacy, and positive orientation of foster parents in late adulthood

The article presents the results of own research presenting differences in the level of basic hope, the sense of generalized self-efficacy and positive orientation depending on the function of a foster parent for one’s grandchildren. For this purpose, the Basic Hope Questionnaire (BHI-12), the Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES), the Positive Orientation Scale (P Scale) and the self-survey were used. 160 people took part in the study. The study group consisted of 80 foster parents in late adulthood. The control group consisted of 80 elderly people who did not perform this function.
 Statistical analysis showed statistically significant differences in the level of all the studied variables. It turned out that foster parents are characterized by a higher level of basic hope (this effect is strong), a higher level of a sense of generalized self-efficacy, and a lower level of positive orientation. In the case of the last variable, the effect was very strong. On this basis, it can be concluded that elderly people acting as foster parents, in the situation of a crisis occurring in the family, consisting in the disintegration of the previous way of its functioning, having a sense of agency and conviction that it is possible to build a new order, i.e. a strong basic hope, decide to take over the care of their grandchildren. At the same time, the results of research in the field of positive orientation indicate that it is a difficult situation for them related to the experience of lower satisfaction with themselves and their lives.
 Surrogate parenting in late adulthood has been shown as a difficult situation in which the family and human life cycle are disrupted. The psychological situation of elderly people acting as foster parents for their grandchildren is particularly interesting, because the natural developmental crisis resulting from the aging process is superimposed by an additional situational crisis consisting in the loss of the care of the biological parents by the minors and the assumption of this responsibility by the grandparents

Is Trauma-Informed Care Possible without Information? – Experience of Trauma Awareness among Estonian Foster Parents and Residential Caregivers

Is Trauma-Informed Care Possible without Information? – Experience of Trauma Awareness among Estonian Foster Parents and Residential Caregivers

PERLINDUNGAN KANAK-KANAK DI MALAYSIA: MENILAI KEBERKESANAN JAGAAN PELIHARA DARI PERSPEKTIF UNDANG-UNDANG

Foster care serves as a crucial support system for children in need of care and protection in Malaysia who cannot live with their biological families due to issues such as neglect, abuse, or abandonment. This article examines the concept of foster care, its legal implementation, and challenges. By scrutinizing existing legislation, the paper aims to identify areas for improvement to enhance the effectiveness of foster care as part of the child protection system in Malaysia. The foster care system in Malaysia is primarily governed by the Child Act 2001 and managed by the Social Welfare Department in providing family-based care, especially for abandoned children. This article employs a qualitative study, revealing challenges and limitations within the existing legal framework. The findings indicate that there is no specific law governing foster care in Malaysia. Therefore, the article emphasizes the need to enhance the effectiveness of foster care legislation by increasing resources and support for foster parents, implementing standardized training programs for them, strengthening monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, and encouraging cooperation and information sharing among relevant agencies. This is to ensure positive outcomes and long-term welfare for children in foster care in Malaysia.

Stories With Blurred Contours: Family Displays of Foster Families and Young Children in Out‐of‐Home Care

ABSTRACTThe aim of the study was to investigate foster parents' displays and narratives about family life as foster parents of toddlers and preschool children and how these influence the welfare and sense of family belonging for younger children in foster care. Based on qualitative interviews with 16 foster parents in 10 foster families of looked‐after children aged 1–6, narratives about the children, their needs and roles in the foster family were analysed. Various kinds of narratives of the child and foster family were identified, where the child's differentness and the normative ideas of the foster family often were negotiated in ways that blurred the understanding of the children's needs. Various boundary issues affecting the foster family were also visualized. The results suggested that addressing issues of family boundary ambiguity as a difficult feature of foster care would be beneficial. Not only would this provide opportunities to strengthen the internal life and resilience of the foster family, but it would also help visualize the looked‐after children's individual needs and strengthen their position as family members.

Revealing the Profile of Foster Parents, Biological Parents, Foster Children and the Triadic Relationship amongst them

This research paper explores the foster care framework in Greece, with a particular focus on the triadic relationship among foster carers, biological parents, and foster children. It refers to the current 30 hours compulsory training program of foster parents, emphasizing the necessity of a further specialized comprehensive training, on the ground that well prepared foster carers can better face the complexities of fostering. There is also an imperative need for ongoing support for foster parents, which will be provided in the context of social workers’ supervision to meet the behavioral and emotional challenges presented by foster children. The study investigates the potential hindrances faced during the child's placement within the foster home and the vital role social workers play in addressing these difficulties. It delves into the backgrounds of biological parents, foster carers, and foster children, examining the psychological issues and trauma they may confront. The paper highlights the paths of creating an emotional bond, trusting relationships, amongst the child and his/her foster parents and contact issues between foster and biological parents, asserting that these elements are crucial for the child's well-being and his/her integration into the foster family. Moreover, it recognizes the need for policy makers and practitioner’s collaboration and interdisciplinary approaches within the foster care system. The study concludes that well-structured support, the empowerment of children through resilience building, and a stable legal framework are foundational to successful application of the institution of fostering. It encourages future research in the form of longitudinal studies, the evaluation of training models, and cross-national comparisons that include Greek foster care organizations to ameliorate the effectiveness of foster care system. The research incorporates theoretical and research studies articles as well as selected books in the field to underline the importance of evidence-based practices in advancing the application of the institution of foster care as well as the experiences of both foster care children, biological and foster parents.

The Contemporary Foster Care Legislative Framework in Greece: A Review of its Assets and Weaknesses

This review comprehensively analyzes the contemporary Greek legislative foster care system according to N4538/2018, exploring all the relevant international agreements such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the European Union's Charter of Fundamental Rights, that influenced its enactment. It highlights the rights and protection afforded to children in foster care, detailing provisions from the Hague Convention on the Rights of the Child and European legislation. It explores thoroughly the recent legislative reforms in Greece, including the establishment of the National Council for Foster Care and Adoption. It emphasizes the development and adherence to National and Special Registers for minors in the modern Child Protection System, as well as the implementation of Individual Family Rehabilitation Plans. It reveals that the recent legislation framework has many advantages but also a few weaknesses that could be amended. The legal procedures and criteria for placing minors in fostering in Greece, and the required criteria to ensure that foster parents meet the necessary guidelines to protect the best interests of children are discussed. This paper also examines the legal and procedural steps required to link children to foster families, the arrangements for supervision of foster parents and the consequences of fostering in cases of non-compliance. It is also proven that social workers play a key role in all stages and procedures of the application of the institution of foster care since they have taken up the main responsibilities for its implementation, prior, during and after the children are placed in foster parents. The article concludes that there is an imperative need for informed policies and practices that will ensure the adequate care and protection of minors in the foster system, recommending a synergy of legal, institutional, and educational strategies to optimize the welfare of foster children and support foster parents.

Examining Financial Hardship and Caregiver Subgroups in Kinship Foster Placements: A Machine Learning Approach

Children placed with kinship foster parents can experience less disruption and stronger family ties than children in non-kinship placements. However, financial hardship can restrict kinship caregivers from taking in relatives’ children. This study investigated (1) kinship caregivers’ financial standing compared to a national subsample of caregivers and (2) whether certain factors moderate the likelihood that a kinship caregiver will be able to provide care for additional non-relative children without additional financial assistance from the Department of Social Services (DSS). This study utilized primary data from 345 relatives across North Carolina and nationally representative secondary data on 6394 individuals’ financial circumstances. One-sample t-tests and chi-square goodness-of-fit tests revealed that caregivers who participated in our study generally fared better financially than caregivers at the national level. Model-based recursive partitioning results showed that if an additional child is placed in the home, the caregiver’s perceived capacity to provide care without extra DSS support decreased by approximately 19%, with a greater decrease (35%) among a subgroup of caregivers with low financial well-being status. The heterogeneity in caregivers’ experiences, capacities, and financial needs buttresses the need for nuanced interventions and programs targeting these caregivers, enabling them to provide more stable care for children placed in their homes.

The child’s right to family life when living in public care: how to facilitate contact that preserves, strengthens, and develops family ties

This study addresses children’s right to family life when placed in public care and questions how the Child Welfare Service and the Child Welfare Tribunal understand and facilitate this right within a Norwegian context. Based on a thematic analysis of 18 interviews, factors that have the potential to contribute to and challenge the strengthening and development of ties are presented. The implications of these factors for practice are discussed in light of the value of family life, the double role of foster parents, and the use of discretion when balancing children’s right to family life and their need for protection.

Supporting adoptive and foster parents of adolescents through the trauma-informed e-Connect parent group: a preliminary descriptive study.

Adolescents in adoption and foster care are likely to show internalizing and externalizing problems and affective dysregulation, leading to a lower quality of parent-adolescent attachment relationships and high levels of strain for parents. This study describes the results of the first application of the trauma-informed attachment-based Connect Parent Group in an online form (e-Connect) with Italian adoptive and foster parents. In this study, we describe (1) trends in the aforementioned variables between pre- (T1) and post- (T2) intervention and (2) parents' feedback and suggestions about the intervention. Participants were 10 adoptive and 10 foster parents (53% females, Mage = 53.48; SDage = 4.93) who attended e-Connect, an attachment-focused and trauma-informed 10-session online group intervention. This intervention aims at increasing caregiver awareness of attachment and trauma concerning adolescents' problem behaviors and sensitive responsiveness, thereby leading to improvements in parent-adolescent relationship quality, decreases in adolescents' problems, and reductions in caregiver strain. One e-Connect group was offered for adoptive parents and one for foster parents. Parents completed questionnaires 1 week before (T1) and after (T2) the intervention and responded to a feedback interview following program completion. Only at the descriptive level, scores of adolescents' internalizing and externalizing problems, affective dysregulation, and caregivers' strain show decreasing trends. Parents reported high satisfaction with the program, declaring changes in parent-adolescent relationships both currently (94.7%) and anticipated in the future (100%). All parents indicated that they would recommend e-Connect to other parents. Given promising parents' feedback, the feasibility of e-Connect supporting adoptive and foster parents of adolescents can be further empirically investigated.

Child welfare practitioners’ perspectives on factors that promote, and hinder family reunification after out-of-home placement in Norway: a micro-meso systems analysis

ABSTRACT This article presents an exploratory multi-method qualitative study conducted in the Rogaland County of Norway in 2018 on child welfare practitioners’ perspectives on factors that promote and hinder family reunification after out-of-home placement. The study aimed to understand micro- and meso-level factors that pertain to children, parents and foster parents and their influence on family reunification decision outcomes after out-of-home placement from the perspective of child welfare practitioners. The study was guided by an interpretive and constructive framework and findings were analysed within an ecological systems model. The study employed both interviews and focus group discussion and adopted purposive and convenience nonprobability sampling techniques. Findings from the study pointed to the child, the parents and foster parents individually and collectively influencing reunification decision outcomes after out-of-home placement. Findings are relevant in understanding the complexities of influences on family reunification decision outcomes by child welfare practitioners and the county social welfare board.

Experiences of Amish and Old Order Mennonite Families in Providing Foster Care for Children

This inductive, exploratory research project used thematic analysis to examine the experiences of Amish and Old Order Mennonite (Plain Anabaptist) foster parents in providing foster care to mainstream (non-Plain) children, including factors related to children’s trauma and disabilities, discipline, and families’ perceptions of support from their communities. Through purposive and snowball sampling, researchers gathered data from 24 families in either focus groups or dyad interviews in four U.S. states. The experiences of Plain Anabaptist foster families were characterized by participants as both satisfying and challenging. Plain Anabaptist families were receptive to learning and adapting to provide foster care, especially for babies, young children, and children with disabilities. Research findings illuminate several areas in which those recruiting or working with Plain Anabaptist foster parents should be aware.

The dynamics of foster care in the Kingdom of Eswatini: Benefits, challenges, and strategies for effective foster parenting

The dynamics of foster care in the Kingdom of Eswatini: Benefits, challenges, and strategies for effective foster parenting