Foster Parents Research Articles

Подготовка кандидатов в замещающие родители: какие компетенции нужны сегодня для воспитания приемного ребенка?

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US">The article is devoted to the discussion of the formation of new competencies for candidates for foster parents (adoptive parents, guardians, trustees, adoptive parents) necessary to create conditions for family care for foster children and represent their legitimate interests. The article presents the results of monitoring by the Ministry of Education of Russia (2019 and 2022) on the activities of Schools for foster parents in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation. The monitoring was carried out in order to study the compliance of the activities of authorized organizations with the requirements and recommendations of federal legislation, as well as the forms of work used in the preparation of potential candidates for foster parents. The monitoring analysis is supplemented by the data of a public opinion poll conducted among the participants of the All-Russian Forum of Foster Parents (2023), which revealed a trend towards an increase in the request from foster parents to change the content of the program of foster parents' schools, and also focused on topics in insufficient detail (according to according to the respondents) presented in the training program, but necessary for the effective management of situations related to the care of orphans and children left without parental care.</span></p>

Barriers and facilitators of sibling relationships of youth in foster care from an ecological perspective

For children in foster care sibling support is associated with better mental health and resiliency. Despite the findings on the importance of sibling relationships, siblings are frequently separated from each other. Previous research has explored sibling separation and barriers to placing siblings together. This qualitative study aims to identify barriers and facilitators to sibling relationships from the perspective of those formerly in foster care. A thematic analysis was completed to explore the experiences of 11 adults with foster care experience and identify perceived barriers and facilitators to sibling relationships. Results are interpreted through an ecological framework. Barriers and facilitators are identified at the individual, microsystem, exosystem, and macrosystem levels. Specifically, barriers and facilitators relating to visitation, placement, foster parents, child welfare workers, the foster care system, and the legal system are discussed. Participants also provided recommendations for overcoming barriers and finding ways to facilitate relationships between siblings in the different levels of the ecological system.

Patience with foster children as a major problem for grandparents in the role of kinship carers aged 60 + and the psychosocial determinants of this deficit

Kinship care represents the most prevalent form of foster care in Poland. Most commonly, the role of kinship carers is taken on by grandparents, who may struggle with various problems, needs and deficits in this role. The aim of this study was to investigate the problem of patience in kinship carers aged 60 + and its impact on deficits in the performance of roles and duties.Methods Seventy-five foster grandparents (63 female, 84%) aged from 61 to 97 years (M = 69,12; SD = 6.22) were investigated in north-western Poland in 2018 and 2019. The study was based on the diagnostic survey method.Results Psychological disposition, functioning, health problems and parental needs and deficits were assessed using standardised psychometric scales and tools self-constructed for this research study. A lack of patience with foster children was reported by 46.7% (n = 35) of the respondents. Patience deficits corresponded with a significantly lower sense of coherence, especially in the manageability domain (p < 0.001) and such stress coping strategies as lower positive reappraisal (p = 0.016) and seeking of emotional support (p = 0.025), as well as a greater tendency for suppression of activities (p = 0.014) and venting of emotions (p = 0.035). Relatively permanent personality traits and general self-efficacy were not differentiated by patience with children.Conclusions The results suggest that patience – so important for biological and foster parents – is related to psychological competencies that can be improved through psychoeducation and skills-training, which may be beneficial for improving foster carers’ effectiveness.

Upućivanje u odgojnu ustanovu – odgojna mjera zahvaćena svjetskim trendom transformacije i deinstitucionalizacije

The transformation and deinstitutionalisation of educational institutions in EU Member States have not bypassed Croatian juvenile criminal law. With the latest amendments to the Youth Courts Act in 2019, a completely new method of executing juvenile sanctions, known as specialised foster care, was introduced into Croatian juvenile law. This measure is implemented not only in social care institutions (community support centres or educational homes) but also in associations specialised in children with behavioural issues. According to the new regulation, it can now also be carried out by foster parents engaged in specialised foster care for children under a special regulation. The implementing regulation for specialised foster care is the Foster Care Act. However, despite legal regulation, its application is lacking, indicating serious issues in practice. The problems are twofold. On the one hand, there is understaffing in institutional accommodation facilities in educational institutions for boys and girls, and, regarding the latter, there are no adequate educational institutions for girls. On the other hand, the execution of this measure is not realised through an alternative, i.e., in a non-institutional way through specialised foster care. All of this can lead to absurdity and result in the imposition of more severe sanctions due to the lack of the possibility to execute the existing educational measure of referral to an educational institution. As a result, the research will investigate to what extent the imposition of this measure on underage girls is prevalent before the Municipal Criminal Court in Zagreb and where this measure is executed.

Weaving webs of well-being: The ethics of navigating religious differences in Christian foster families with foster children of various backgrounds

This article analyzes ethical issues arising in transreligious foster care placements in relation to foster children’s needs regarding religious socialization and identification. Applying Urban Walker’s expressive-collaborative framework to 30 qualitative interviews with foster parents, foster children, parents, and professionals, we elaborate and apply a three-level reflection on Christian foster parents’ ethics of care in everyday practice of foster care. A first-level reflection demonstrates that integrating the foster child in the foster family often leads to predominant Christian socialization of foster children. A second-level reflection demonstrates asymmetry between foster parents and birth parents in the religious socialization of foster children, leading to confusion for the foster child and (potential) conflict with birth parents. Finally, a normative reflection leads us to conclude that foster children in transreligious placements need loose and hybrid moral frames in which they can alter, shift, and navigate their multiple identifications and partialities as part of their development.

The social protection aspect of the subjective assessment of the material security of large and foster families: the results of a comparative qualitative study

Modern demographic trends in the field of fertility have led to increased state attention in recent years to issues of social protection of motherhood and childhood, social support for families with children. This trend has resulted in a significant increase in the list and volume of social benefits and other social benefits, and an increase in the number of their recipients. The issue of evaluating the effectiveness of measures taken by the state is becoming increasingly relevant, not only from the standpoint of quantitative statistical indicators, but also by studying the opinion of beneficiaries. The article presents the results of a study aimed at determining subjective assessments of the material security of families with children in connection with their receipt of social protection and support measures. The object of the study is families with children belonging to the categories of large and foster families. By the method of in-depth qualitative interviews, representatives of households of 10 large families and 10 foster families living in large and small cities of the Irkutsk region were interviewed. The author has revealed significant differences in assessments between representatives of different categories of families with children. Large families express dissatisfaction with the following positions: the availability and amount of social benefits; the amount of benefits and the complexity of obtaining them. In conditions of dependence of social benefits on the size of the per capita income of family members, the status of having many children ceases to play a social protection role, not being a significant factor in ensuring the material well-being of the family. On the contrary, foster families note: a significant increase in the amount of payments for the maintenance of foster children and the remuneration of foster parents; an increase in the list and volume of additional social support measures. These measures have made it possible to increase the level of financial security of foster families. Foster parents expressed the need to take into account the needs of foster children not only of a minimal nature, but also related to their development, health maintenance, and additional education. The results obtained made it possible to formulate approaches to solving problems of a social protection nature of the considered categories of families with children. For foster families, it is important to gradually expand measures of social support for foster children based on monitoring needs. In relation to large families, it is necessary to radically change the social protection mechanisms based on the recognition of the status of having many children, which gives the right to receive additional social guarantees.

Nanny of the State

Abstract: In this essay, Beck, a licensed foster parent, analyzes how an individualistic approach to family repair sets mothers up to fail. In addition to being assessed and punished as an individual, she is now required to change her circumstances as an individual, tasked with creating an entirely different life with very little assistance, in a truncated period of time.

일본에서 사회보장의 아동복지에 관한 연구

The Child Welfare Act aims to ensure the welfare of children so that they can be born healthy and grow up happily and safely. Japan's right to social security has been developed through the reorganization of various social security law-related systems, and the Child Welfare Act has also been institutionalized through various efforts to actively respond to society's demand for child welfare. Therefore, in this study, we would like to examine the Child Welfare Act among Japan's social security rights and find its implications for Korea.&#x0D; In accordance with the Child Welfare Act, Japan operates premature birth facilities, nursing care children's facilities, disabled child detention facilities, and maternal and child support facilities for pregnant women, and also introduces a foster parent system. Public involvement in the operation of facilities is high, and the role and responsibility of the state, metropolitan local governments, and basic local governments are clarified for the installation or operation of facilities and the implementation of child protection policies. In addition, in order to efficiently and integrally promote child welfare-related policies, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare established the Child and Family Office in April 2023 for child abuse and transferred it to the direct agency of the Prime Minister.&#x0D; Child welfare in Korea is similar to Japan, but there is no dedicated department that acts as a control tower to oversee child welfare because ministries are separated from child welfare targets such as the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, and the Ministry of Education. Children's guardians should raise children healthy and safe at home according to the developmental stage, and the state and local governments should take necessary measures to prevent children from being discriminated against, such as religion, property, or disability of their parents. In order to realize such child welfare, it is urgent to establish an integrated dedicated department, expand child protection facilities, and overhaul a careful and balanced system to implement effective policies suitable for changes in social structure. In this respect, the establishment of the Child and Family Agency in Japan has great implications for Korea.

Foster parenting during the COVID‐19 pandemic: A qualitative analysis. Case of Poland

AbstractObjectiveThis article aims to identify new risks for foster families and their institutional environment resulting from the COVID‐19 pandemic.BackgroundDuring the pandemic, the government in Poland introduced significant restrictions, including social isolation and closures of public institutions. It caused challenges in the foster care system where self‐care has been major issue.MethodIn‐depth interviews were conducted with 45 people who were involved in the foster care system. Participants were recruited using a purposive approach and the snowball method. The interviews were analyzed using a six‐stage thematic analysis.ResultsThe functioning of the foster care system in response to the COVID‐19 pandemic evidenced some practices that challenged carers and children.ConclusionThe foster care system, which is based on the deinstitutionalization paradigm, requires changes and procedural approaches that need to be put in place for the system to be able to adapt to a similar crisis.ImplicationsThis article suggests some social policy solutions to improve the quality of care and parenting services, and the conditions for foster families when institutions in the social environment are closed.

Strategy of the Amil Zakat Infaq and Sedekah Mitra Ummat Madani Institutions in Implementing the Program of Education

The main problem in this study is regarding the various obstacles to education for the poor, based on social facts through interviews and phenomena encountered in the Padang city community, one of the roots of the education problem lies in the weak community economy so that many dhuafa children are constrained in privately based schools. The educational constraints that often occur among the poor are school debt from tuition/UKT payments, school exam payments, development payments and so on, so that they cannot get a diploma to apply for jobs and continue their education to a higher level. This study aims to find out the strategies of the amil zakat infaq and sedekah Mitra Ummat Madani institutions in implementing educational programs to help the education of the dhuafa, and then find out what are the drivers and obstacles of Lazis Mitra Ummat Madani in delivering educational programs to the dhuafa in Padang City. The type of research that the authors use is a type of field research (Field Research), to obtain data from the problems studied. The data collection technique that the writer uses is through interviews and documentation. Data management was carried out in a qualitative descriptive manner, then described and classified aspects of certain problems and explained through effective sentences. The lack of attention in the field of education for dhuafa (non-orphanage) children has led Lazis Mitra Ummat Madani to create an educational program with another name, namely the civil generation scholarship program (Pro Be GEMA). Supporting factors in channeling the program by making donors as foster parents for orphans and dhuafa in terms of supporting their education so that the education of orphans and dhuafa is given more attention. There are 3 taglines for the Madani Generation Scholarship Program, namely fostering generations of Qur'an memorizers by establishing tahfiz houses, having noble character through various kinds of religious activities and achieving achievements in the formal and informal fields.

Neglecting to consider early emotional development after abuse and/or neglect: Insights and recommendations from child welfare providers

AbstractLaying a strong foundation for emotional development in children birth to 5 is of critical importance, but the extent to which this is considered following child abuse and/or neglect, foster care placement, reunification, and potential re‐entry into foster care remains unclear. Using a convergent mixed methods design, we investigated perceptions among child welfare professionals given the contributing role they could play in both initiating provider–parent dialogue and connecting families with timely resources to better support early emotional development post‐abuse/neglect. Fifty eight child welfare professionals in an urban, Northeastern County of the USA participated (73% response rate). Survey data and focus group insights shed light on satisfaction with and roadblocks to supporting foster and biological parents in promoting emotional development. A low proportion of respondents offered advice on emotional development, referred families to relevant parent education, or perceived biological or foster parents as extremely prepared. Self‐reported likelihood of providing advice to families was positively associated with access to information on emotional development, years employed, and job satisfaction. Multilevel roadblocks were identified. Results inform systems‐level, family‐centred initiatives and information sharing to better support emotional development post‐abuse and/or neglect.

The Impact of an mHealth Mental Health Literacy Training for Foster Parents Prepared for Trends in Psychology

The Impact of an mHealth Mental Health Literacy Training for Foster Parents Prepared for Trends in Psychology

The Placement of Children in Need of Out-of-Home Care: Forms of Care and Differences in Attachment Security and Behavioral Problems in the Italian Context

The current paper investigated differences in secure attachment levels and behavioral problems among four groups of children in out-of-home care in Italy: closed adoption (child and birth parents not in contact following adoption), open adoption (child and birth parents still in contact after placement), foster care (child living temporarily with relatives or unrelated foster parents) and institutional care (child in residential care for large groups of children). One hundred and thirty children aged 10–19 were included in this study. The Attachment Interview for Childhood and Adolescence and the Achenbach Youth Self-Report were employed to measure participants’ secure attachment levels and behavioral problems. Both a multivariate analysis of covariance and measured variable path analysis were performed. Age, gender and time elapsed between the request for child protection and placement on out-of-home care were used as covariates. The results showed that adolescents in closed adoption had higher secure attachment scores than those in foster care and institutional care, while adolescents in open adoption scored significantly higher on problem behaviors than those in the other out-of-home care groups. Findings were discussed in terms of limitations and implications for future research.

Living Situation of Juveniles After Secure Residential Treatment: Exploring the Role of Family Centeredness, Child, and Family Factors.

To promote the return of juveniles to a home-like environment (e.g. living with (foster)parents) after secure residential treatment (SRT), it is important to know which factors are related to this outcome. The current study examined which characteristics of the juvenile, family, and SRT, including family centeredness and use of systemic interventions, are related to the living situation after discharge. For 259 juveniles (mean age 15.82 years, 127 girls) in SRT and their parents, questionnaires were administered at admission, discharge, and 6-months follow-up. Furthermore, information about the living situation before and after SRT was gathered. Higher likelihood of living in a home-like setting after SRT correlated with more furlough moments with parents, receiving a systemic intervention, and a shorter duration of the SRT. Systemic interventions during SRT and spending furlough moments with parents may have a positive impact on returning to a home-like situation after SRT for juveniles.

Inequitable access to relative caregiving: Implications of foster care regulations in Finland, New Zealand, and the United States

Scholars largely agree that placements with relative caregivers are best for children. However, the regulations that jurisdictions apply to determine eligibility for foster care licensure may limit relative caregivers’ access to the benefits of licensure. This analysis considers foster care regulations in three jurisdictions and the effects of policy decisions on eligibility for relative caregivers and placement options for children in out-of-home care. Finland, New Zealand, and Wisconsin all have a stated priority for placement of children with relative caregivers. However, even with a stated priority, the implementation of policies in practice differs by jurisdiction. Finland is adequate in prioritizing child and family well-being but lacks coherence and has regulations that are at high risk of bias. New Zealand’s policies are adequate and coherent, though their highly regulated system is at risk of perpetuating inequity for indigenous populations. Wisconsin regulations are coherent in supporting safety, however, the financial support provided to foster parents is inadequate and the highly regulated standards perpetuate inequity for low-income families and families of color. Findings suggest that the structure of out-of-home care policies and the priorities of the governments who oversee them inform the implementation of policy in practice and differential outcomes experienced by the children and families they are meant to support. Limiting a relative caregiver’s ability to be licensed as a foster parent is a form of social exclusion, reducing their access to available support and limiting child access to relative care. Equitable access to foster care licensure would provide relative caregivers with additional tools to meet the needs of children in their care. Revisions to foster care licensing practices should prioritize placement with relatives by increasing flexibility in non-safety related requirements for relative caregivers in order to provide children with access to culturally appropriate placement options.

Latent profile analysis of risk and protective factors among foster parents: A cross-sectional study

Foster parents serve a critical role in child welfare systems. However, foster parents express dissatisfaction in their roles as caregivers, thus impacting placement stability. Placement disruption has many negative impacts on foster youth including delayed permanency, increased behavioral symptoms, and negative educational outcomes. Utilizing a cross-sectional design, this survey study collected data from 362 foster parents in six states. Results from a latent profile analysis indicated a three-profile solution was found, representing three subpopulations of foster parents, subsequently named Resourceful, Strained, and Disadvantaged Foster Parents. Differences between groups on indicators were noted in scores on burnout, secondary-traumatic stress, social support, thoughts on training usefulness, and foster parent satisfaction. Added covariates showed significant differences among group make-up on foster youth behavioral issues, and foster parent race. Foster parent profiles were explored in relation to intention to turnover and disrupt current foster youth placement. There were significant differences across all profiles on turnover and placement disruption intent. These findings give insight into the training and support needs of foster parents.

Horizontal transmission maintains host specificity and codiversification of symbionts in a brood parasitic host

In host-symbiont systems, interspecific transmissions create opportunities for host switches, potentially leading to cophylogenetic incongruence. In contrast, conspecific transmissions often result in high host specificity and congruent cophylogenies. In most bird-feather mite systems, conspecific transmission is considered dominant, while interspecific transmission is supposedly rare. However, while mites typically maintain high host specificity, incongruent cophylogenies are common. To explain this conundrum, we quantify the magnitude of conspecific vs. interspecific transmission in the brood parasitic shiny cowbird (Molothrus bonariensis). M. bonariensis lacks parental care, allowing the assessment of the role of horizontal transmission alone in maintaining host specificity. We found that despite frequent interspecific interactions via foster parental care, mite species dispersing via conspecific horizontal contacts are three times more likely to colonize M. bonariensis than mites transmitted vertically via foster parents. The results highlight the previously underappreciated rate of transmission via horizontal contacts in maintaining host specificity on a microevolutionary scale. On a macroevolutionary scale, however, host switches were estimated to have occurred as frequently as codivergences. This suggests that macroevolutionary patterns resulting from rare events cannot be easily generalized from short-term evolutionary trends.

National training and development Curriculum: Does having access to online “Right-Time” training positively impact Foster/Adoptive Parenting?

Trauma-informed parenting is increasingly essential for children in foster care. This study evaluated survey responses from participants before and after an in-service, trauma-informed training that is accessible online in the United States. A total of 361 participants – in-service foster and adoptive parents from areas throughout the United States – completed three surveys across 1,282 training sessions that each covered one of 15 thematic areas. This within-group, cross-sectional study design assessed the caregiver competency, knowledge gain, and satisfaction (i.e., perceived usability, usefulness, amount) of participants. Results indicated that after the training, participants felt more competent in their caregiving abilities, experienced moderate gains in parenting knowledge, and were satisfied with the quality of the training. One implication of these findings is that an asynchronous, online setting can be a feasible and acceptable modality for expanding access and availability of in-service foster and adoptive parent training programs.

Foster Parents’ Withdrawal of Childcare for Unaccompanied and Separated Children from Meheba Refugee Settlement in Kalumbila District, Zambia

Zambia has been hosting refugees of different nationalities in the various refugee settlements across the country namely Meheba refugee settlement, Mantapala refugee settlement and Mayukwayukwa settlement. With the influx of asylum seekers entering the country, there arises an occurrence of children arriving in the country without biological parents nor legally recognized guardians. This category of children is referred to as unaccompanied and separated children (UASC). The Zambian governments laws, regional guidelines and international laws maintain that each abandoned, unaccompanied and separated children, their safety and wellbeing should be guaranteed. Protection of these children in Meheba settlement has been through an approach known as foster care. However, there reported incidences of foster parents handing back unaccompanied and separated children to MCDSS living children without parental support or protection contrary to the Child Code Bill of 2022 for Zambia, UN general assembly, Refugee Act of 2017, National Framework for the Care of Children in Need of Care, 2019. Therefore, the intent of the study was to understand the causes of foster parents withdrawing the required parental care for UASC and explore approaches to improve childcare provided by foster parents to them in Meheba settlement. The study established that there were various gaps in the childcare procedures which include, noncompliance, inadequate monitoring, inadequate data management, flaws in case management, support for caregivers, training for caregivers. Recommendations include strengthening the referral and monitoring mechanisms in case management, childcare agencies to upsurge support for community structures and foster parents, improvement of training and sensitization to foster parents, prospective parents and community workers, orientation on UASC on her rights and responsibilities and the department of social welfare to develop a framework to make foster parents accountable.

Experiences of counselors participating in an innovative project to develop a training program for specialized foster parents of youth (13-18 years).

Children placed in foster care represent a vulnerable and distressed group that requires a high level of care. However, good training programs designed to address specific problems presented in specialized foster care are not easily accessible due to logistical, economic and structural barriers. The lack of easy access and a strong desire to provide high-quality services inspired counselors from a specialized foster care center on the frontline to initiate an innovative, developmentally relevant and locally grounded training program. This study focuses on counselors' experiences with the development of the training program and its impact on their work life. A qualitative research design within a participatory approach framework was used to understand the experiences of the counselors. All the counselors employed in the department and the leaders (n = 14) participated in the study. Data were gathered from participants, including the lead and second authors, using a semi-structured interview, and analyzed using thematic analysis. The analyses yielded three main categories: (i) Psychological Factors, (ii) Social Dynamics, and (iii) Leadership Style and Support. Each of the first two categories consisted of three subcategories. At the psychological level, the employees' experiences reflected the psychological states and traits required to fuel the tasks required by the project. The social dynamics of working in a team influenced the work process and, in turn, were impacted by it. Lastly, leadership style and support provided the foundation for innovation to germinate and grow. Engaging in a locally created training program was associated with a strong sense of collaboration and team spirit. Counselors reported high intrinsic motivation and a strong sense of personal pride and drive for their jobs. They were proactive in seeking colleagues with particular expertise and collaborated on project tasks despite differences. The leadership style reflected the presence of transformational leadership behaviors, signaling an organizational culture conducive to innovation. The study provides an example of how aligning employees' personal aspirations with workplace goals and professional development can create a workplace in which employees feel it is enjoyable to go to work.