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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Differential associations of threat and deprivation with emotion understanding in maltreated children in foster care

Pablo Carrera, Jesús M. Jiménez‐Morago, Maite Román, Esperanza León - Child & Family Social Work, 26 Jul 2020

The present study analysed associations between threat and deprivation exposure and different facets of emotion understanding in a sample of maltreated children in foster care.

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The language, literacy and mental health profiles of adolescents in out-of-home care: An Australian sample

Pamela Snow, Emina McLean and Margarita Frederico - Child Language Teaching and Therapy, 23 Jul 2020

The aim of this study was to describe the language and literacy profiles of adolescents (aged 13–19) in out-of-home care (‘looked after children’) in Australia.

Foster Youth Strategic Initiative 2019 Evaluation Report

Amy McKlindon, Elizabeth Jordan, Alexandria Wilkins, Sham Habteselasse, Karin Malm, Kristen Harper, Janis Spire, Timothy Ross, Yana Mayevskaya - Child Trends, 17 Jul 2020

This report summarizes some of the major accomplishments, challenges, and lessons learned from the Foster Youth Strategic Initiative, which aimed to ensure that older youth in foster care in Los Angeles County (LA) and New York City (NYC) become self-sufficient and thriving adults.

Family homelessness, subsequent CWS involvement, and implications for targeting housing interventions to CWS-involved families

Jason M. Rodriguez, Marybeth Shinn, Bridgette Lery, Jennifer Haight, Mary Cunningham, Mike Pergamit - Child Abuse & Neglect, 16 Jul 2020

The authors of this article sought to better understand the relationship between homelessness and child welfare services (CWS) involvement and examine whether homeless shelter data could combine with CWS data to enhance intervention targeting.

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Educational trajectories of children in care across the early education and primary school years: A national cohort study in England

Eran P Melkman - American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 16 Jul 2020

The goals of this article were to (a) examine the changes in educational achievements of children in care from preschool through the end of primary school; (b) identify subgroups exhibiting distinct educational trajectories; and (c) explore key predictive individual, care, and school characteristics.

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Glean lessons learned from foster care support programs to help students succeed after pandemic‐related trauma

Warren Hilton, Susan Mangold, Nicole Generose, Joanna Suriel - Student Affairs Today, 15 Jul 2020

This brief article from Student Affairs Today highlights some of the lessons learned by student affairs professionals regarding foster care support programs at higher education institutions in the United States in light of the COVID-19 crisis.

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Different Contexts, Different Outcomes: Early Childhood Parenting Context for Latina Mothers Vulnerable to Child Welfare Involvement

Jessica Rodriguez-Jenkins & Deborah M. Ortega - Child & Youth Services, 15 Jul 2020

This paper explores within group differences for Mexican and Puerto Rican mothers vulnerable to child welfare involvement.

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Authentically engaging youth with foster care experience: definitions and recommended strategies from youth and staff

Amy M. Salazar, Sara S. Spiers & Francis R. Pfister - Journal of Youth Studies, 13 Jul 2020

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Authentically Engaging Youth with Foster Care Experience: Definitions and recommended strategies from youth and staff

Amy M. Salazar, Sara S. Spiers, Francis R. Pfister - Journal of Youth Studies, 13 Jul 2020

This study aims to answer two research questions: a) How do youth and staff/professionals define/conceptualize authentic youth engagement (AYE)? and b) What are youths’ and staff/professionals’ recommended strategies for authentically engaging youth? Thirty stakeholder interviews (15 youth, 15 staff/professionals) and 81 surveys (46 youth, 35 staff/professionals) were completed.

Is the Foster Care-Crime Relationship a Consequence of Exposure? Examining Potential Moderating Factors

Jennifer Yang, Evan McCuish, Raymond Corrado - Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice, 13 Jul 2020

Using data from the Incarcerated Serious and Violent Young Offender Study, the criminal offending trajectories of 678 incarcerated youth were examined. A history of foster care predicted membership in a high rate chronic offending trajectory.

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