Foster Care | Better Care Network

Foster Care

The term “foster care” is used in a variety of ways, and, consequently, it often causes confusion and miscommunication. In the industrialized world it is generally used to refer to formal, temporary placements made by the State with families that are trained, monitored and compensated at some level. In many developing countries, however, fostering is kinship care or other placement with a family, the objective(s) of which may include the care of the child, the child’s access to education, and/or the child’s doing some type of work for the foster family.

Such care is informal and unregulated by the State. Foster care can also be understood as formal care, typically provided by adults who are not related to the child, but may include formalized kinship care. It is usually for a limited period until the child can return home or move into a more permanent placement such as adoption.

In emergency situations, such as armed conflict, informal fostering often occurs spontaneously when a family takes in an unaccompanied child. Also, in some emergency situations, agencies have organized a quasi-formal type of foster care to ensure immediate, family-based care for unaccompanied children. Such foster care should be formally arranged by the local authority or child protection organisation and include assessing each child’s best interests; screening, training, and monitoring of caretakers; and planning for the longer term needs of each child.

Foster care can provide the advantages of family-based care within a child’s own community. In some situations, particularly spontaneous care initiated during an emergency, it can become de facto adoption in settings where State child protection services and formalization of care arrangements are very limited or do not exist.

Foster care plays an important role in a situation where a child’s own family is not providing adequately for his or her care. It can provide protection and care for the child while the family situation is improved, with the eventual aim of family reunification.

It is vital that children are provided opportunities to express their wishes and concerns regarding with whom they live and have contact. The appointment of a legal guardian is a means of ensuring their opinions are taken into account.

Foster caretakers often receive support to meet the child’s needs and prevent placement breakdown. This may include parenting guidance and access to basic services for the child. Payment for care requires thoughtful consideration and should not encourage the separation of children from their families, or the use of a child for financial gain. All placements should be regulated to ensure the standards of care protect the child and encourage her development.

This body of literature provides examples from around the world of spontaneous, informal and formal fostering. It includes guidance on standards of care and child care policy.

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Building financial capability in youth transitioning from foster care to adulthood

Amy M. Salazar, Jacquelene M. Lopez, Sara S. Spiers, Sara Gutschmidt, Kathryn C. Monahan - Child & Family Social Work, 15 Feb 2021

This study assesses whether youth in foster care in the United States who are over age 18 have better financial capability and related supports compared with younger youth and whether there are associations between supports and financial capability.

Network governance among actors involved in the government’s contracting out of foster care services: A case study in China

Wei Lu & Yanfeng Xu - International Journal of Social Welfare, 15 Feb 2021

To understand network governance among actors involved in contracting out foster care services, service funders, service providers, and service users were interviewed. A thematic analysis of interviews combined with a critical review of archival data was conducted.

Postmarital Life Challenges After Foster Care Discharge: A Qualitative Study

Fardin Alipour, Negin Khoramdel, Maliheh Arshi, Mohammad Sabzi Khoshnami - Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Social Services, 03 Feb 2021

This research explored the experiences of the postmarital life of women with a history of residence in foster care centers. It was conducted using a qualitative content analysis.

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A Systematic Review of Internet Communication Technology Use by Youth in Foster Care

Melanie Sage & Sebrena Jackson - Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 02 Feb 2021

This systematic narrative review of the literature reports on the experiences of foster youth regarding the use of Internet Communication Technologies (ICTs) such as social media, focusing only on studies that include youth voice.

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Analytical report: Consultation on unregulated provision for children in care and care leavers

Professor David Greatbatch and Sue Tate - Department for Education, 01 Feb 2021

The Department launched a consultation on the use of independent and semi-independent children's care settings that are not required to register with Ofsted (unregulated provision) as a matter of urgency, ahead of the Government’s anticipated wider care review. This report presents the key findings from an independent analysis of responses to the consultation.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Institutionalization of Children and Alternative Family-Based Care Options for Children in Kenya

Association for Alternative Family Care of Children, in collaboration with the National Council for Children Services and Department of Children’s Services, 01 Feb 2021

This booklet emphasizes the importance of family based care for the care of orphaned and vulnerable children (OVC) in Kenya, provides answers to regularly asked questions, and lists current government efforts to support OVC, including the policy and legal frameworks and existing forms of family and community-based care.

Foster Kinship Navigator Program: A Two Study Mixed-Method Evaluation Project

Dr. Mark S. Preston - Preston Management and Organizational Consulting, 01 Feb 2021

This qualitative evaluation was to determine the level of fidelity of Clark County Nevada’s Foster Kinship navigator program to its navigator program manual and to ascertain if Foster Kinship’s navigator program for formal kinship families met the minimum standard for promising practice.

Foster Care in a Life Course Perspective

Fred Wulczyn - The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 29 Jan 2021

The author of this article analyzes young people’s experiences in foster care from a life course perspective, accounting for when foster care happens, how long it lasts, and what happens when foster care placements end.

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The role of attachment to the foster parent with regard to suicidal risk among adult survivors of childhood maltreatment

Camille Danner Touati, Raphaële Miljkovitch, Aino Sirparanta, Anne-Sohpie Deborde - Child Abuse & Neglect, 21 Jan 2021

The aim of this study was to examine whether 1) attachment to the biological parents mediates the association between abuse and suicidal risk (SR) and 2) attachment to a foster parent (whether from a foster home or an institution) moderates the effect of attachment to biological parents on SR.

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Webinar Recording: Your Family or Its Health: Intersections Between the Healthcare and Foster Systems

Shriver Center on Poverty Law, 14 Jan 2021

This webinar, the fourth in the Shriver Center's Spotlight on the Foster System series, focused on intersections between the healthcare and foster systems.

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