Research on child fostering has often focused on the reasons mothers foster-out children, with less attention to where children live, how their living arrangements change over time, the distances between children and mothers, and how these distances affect their relationships. This study examined the geographical location of fostered children in Kenya, identified who provides their care and the nature of mothers’ relationships with these caregivers, explored transitions and mobility within kin networks, and analyzed how location and distance influence maternal–child contact.
Using kinship-network data, geocoded mapping, and in-depth interviews, the study found that fostered children primarily reside in rural areas and experience considerable fluidity in their living arrangements. Location and distance emerged as significant factors shaping mothers’ contact with and relationships to their children. The findings contribute to a more complete understanding of the complexities of child fostering, emphasizing the role of kinship linkages over time and space, and pointing to the need for more focused data collection to better capture transitions and caregiving dynamics within kin networks.
