Child and Family Social Work, 14(3), August 2009, pp.331-342.
Publisher:
Wiley
As the use of kinship care is set to rise in England, it is important that policy and practice developments are based on firm evidence about kin placement outcomes and how these compare with those in stranger foster care. The research reported in this paper was based on case file reviews of 270 children, half in kin placements and half in stranger foster care, and on interviews with a sub-sample of 32 kin carers, social workers, children and parents. Kin carers were found to be significantly more disadvantaged than stranger foster carers: more kin carers were lone carers, with health problems, living in overcrowded conditions and had financial difficulties. The children, in contrast, were remarkably similar in the two kinds of placement. The main differences between the children in the two settings are examined in the paper. The children's progress and outcomes in terms of placement quality and disruption were very similar in the two settings, but kin placements lasted longer, mainly because fewer were planned as interim placements. However, because kin carers persisted with very challenging children and yet received fewer services than stranger foster carers, they were more often under strain. The implications for policy and practice are examined.
As the use of kinship care is set to rise in England, it is important that policy and practice developments are based on firm evidence about kin placement outcomes and how these compare with those in stranger foster care. The research reported in this paper was based on case file reviews of 270 children, half in kin placements and half in stranger foster care, and on interviews with a sub-sample of 32 kin carers, social workers, children and parents. Kin carers were found to be significantly more disadvantaged than stranger foster carers: more kin carers were lone carers, with health problems, living in overcrowded conditions and had financial difficulties. The children, in contrast, were remarkably similar in the two kinds of placement. The main differences between the children in the two settings are examined in the paper. The children's progress and outcomes in terms of placement quality and disruption were very similar in the two settings, but kin placements lasted longer, mainly because fewer were planned as interim placements. However, because kin carers persisted with very challenging children and yet received fewer services than stranger foster carers, they were more often under strain. The implications for policy and practice are examined.
Subject terms:
informal care, kinship care, outcomes, placement, stress, behaviour problems, emotionally disturbed children, foster care;
Social Work and Social Sciences Review, 13(1), 2007, pp.41-58.
Publisher:
Whiting and Birch
The White Paper Care Matters: Time for change (2007) sets out the British government's plans to improve outcomes for children in care. For example, a tiered model of placement types, structured around the level of complexity of children's needs, will inform placement commissioning. However, on the whole the White Paper does not differentiate between the needs of children according to age, even though evidence suggests that providing foster care for adolescents can be more challenging and complex than providing care for younger children. Drawing on a longitudinal study of adolescent foster care, this paper highlights some of the needs specific to adolescents, as opposed to younger children; the skills and strategies that carers need to develop to care for adolescents and the supports that children's services and other agencies should provide for such placements. The paper argues that increased attention to these issues would assist in sustaining the placements of the great majority of fostered young people who will not have access to highly specialised treatment foster care.
The White Paper Care Matters: Time for change (2007) sets out the British government's plans to improve outcomes for children in care. For example, a tiered model of placement types, structured around the level of complexity of children's needs, will inform placement commissioning. However, on the whole the White Paper does not differentiate between the needs of children according to age, even though evidence suggests that providing foster care for adolescents can be more challenging and complex than providing care for younger children. Drawing on a longitudinal study of adolescent foster care, this paper highlights some of the needs specific to adolescents, as opposed to younger children; the skills and strategies that carers need to develop to care for adolescents and the supports that children's services and other agencies should provide for such placements. The paper argues that increased attention to these issues would assist in sustaining the placements of the great majority of fostered young people who will not have access to highly specialised treatment foster care.
Subject terms:
longitudinal studies, parenting, stress, young people, contact, foster care, foster carers, foster children;
British Journal of Social Work, 35(2), March 2005, pp.237-253.
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
...of stressful life events in the six months prior to the young person’s arrival or were under considerable strain during the placement. Conduct problems, hyperactivity and violent behaviour by the young people increased carer strain, as did contact difficulties with the children’s families. Problems in contacting social workers were linked to elevated strain, whilst strain was lessened when carers received
Drawing on recently completed research funded by the Department of Health, this article examines the extent of strain on the foster carers of adolescents, its influence on parenting practices and the overall impact on placement outcomes. The research findings show that foster-carers’ parenting capacity was markedly reduced in a number of specific areas when they had experienced a high number of stressful life events in the six months prior to the young person’s arrival or were under considerable strain during the placement. Conduct problems, hyperactivity and violent behaviour by the young people increased carer strain, as did contact difficulties with the children’s families. Problems in contacting social workers were linked to elevated strain, whilst strain was lessened when carers received help from friends or from local professionals. Significantly higher disruption rates were experienced by strained carers and these placements were also less beneficial to the young people.
Subject terms:
hyperactive children, outcomes, parental skills training, placement, social work, stress, adolescence, foster care, foster carers, foster children;