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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Putting Family First: Developing an Evidence-Based Child Welfare Preventive Practice Model

Annie E. Casey Foundation, 20 Mar 2020

This paper from the Annie E. Casey Foundation provides guidance for state child welfare agencies on what to consider when developing a preventive practice model that aligns with the requirements of Family First, addresses the unique needs of families within local communities and ensures that selected programs and practices are feasible to implement with quality.

Creative mentoring: A creative response to promote learning and wellbeing with children in care. A service developed by Derbyshire County Council’s Virtual School

Claire Parker - International Journal of Social Pedagogy, 20 Mar 2020

This paper offers some insight into the benefits, impacts and challenges of the ‘creative mentor’ role. It links to a social pedagogy framework, supporting practice, and draws on creative mentors’ work with children and young people living in care. It aims to inform professionals and teams around a child about the transforming nature of working with creativity – beyond the obvious external experiences.

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“Fostering” Effective Foster Parent Training Programs: Parent-Child Interaction Therapy Adaptations for the Child Welfare Setting

Robin C. Han, Christopher K. Owen, Corey C. Lieneman, Cheryl B. McNeil - The Open Family Studies Journal, 20 Mar 2020

Preliminary findings from studies using abbreviated formats of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) suggest effectiveness of such adaptations in reducing externalizing behavior in foster children and maintaining behavioral improvements several months after the end of the treatment.

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The outcome of non-residential youth care compared to residential youth care: A multilevel meta-analysis

Raymond V. Gutterswijk, Chris H. Z. Kuiper, Navisha Lautan, Elsemieke G. Kunst, Frank C. P.van der Horst, Geert Jan J. M. Stams, Children and Youth Services Review, 20 Mar 2020

This multilevel meta-analysis compared the outcomes of Treatment Foster Care Oregon for Adolescents (TFCO-A) and home-based treatment programs (HBT) with residential youth care for children and youth aged 0 to 23 years.

The Scale-Up of Linked Multilevel Interventions: A Case Study

Fred Wulczyn & Sara Feldman - Implementation Science 3.0, 19 Mar 2020

In this chapter, the authors describe the scale-up and impact of a linked multilevel intervention in a public child welfare system.

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Methamphetamine abuse during pregnancy and the risk of foster care placement in Thailand

Boonying Manaboriboon, Supinya In-iw, Sureelak Sutcharipongsa, Gornmigar Winijkul, Sujitra Kumpa, Chiraporn Somchit, Chulathida Chomchai - Children and Youth Services Review, 18 Mar 2020

This study aimed to examine characteristic and outcome of mothers and babies focusing on the teen-mothers and their existing risk-behaviors, also to evaluate factors associated with subsequent foster care placements of their infants.

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Psychotherapy for child welfare cases: Clinicians' and parents' perspectives

Hana Yoo, Stefana Racorean, Victoria Barrows - Child & Family Social Work, 17 Mar 2020

The current study seeks to explore clinicians' and parents' perspectives regarding the role of psychotherapy services (e.g. individual or conjoint counselling/therapy) for child welfare cases.

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Internalizing, Externalizing Problems and Psychiatric Hospitalizations: Examination of Maltreatment Chronicity and Coping Style in Adolescents in Foster Care

Lindsay Huffhines, Yo Jackson & Katie J. Stone - Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma, 14 Mar 2020

The purpose of the present study was to examine how maltreatment chronicity and coping style were associated with internalizing, externalizing, and psychiatric hospitalizations, and whether coping style moderated the relation between maltreatment chronicity and mental health in a sample of foster adolescents.

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Voicing the system: How formerly fostered adults make meaning of the U.S. foster care system

Lindsey J. Thomas, Kristina M. Scharp - Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 13 Mar 2020

This study investigates tensions between stated goals and experiences of foster care, from the perspective of (formerly) fostered youth.

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School Absenteeism Associated With Child Protection System Involvement, Maltreatment Type, and Time in Out-of-Home Care

Jason M. Armfield, Emmanuel Gnanamanickam, Ha T. Nguyen, James C. Doidge, Derek S. Brown, David B. Preen, Leonie Segal - Child Maltreatment, 13 Mar 2020

The authors of this study used a retrospective cohort design with linked administrative data on 296,422 children to examine the relationship between school absenteeism and child protection system (CPS) involvement.

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