Exploring Foster Carers’ Experiences of the Assessment and Feedback Processes of Children in Their Care

ABSTRACT

To date, there is a lack of suitable assessment tools specifically for the looked after child population. Such assessments, often completed by foster carers, help to provide an overview of a child’s presenting level of emotional and behavioural need, and are evidential in offering a pathway to further provision and services for young people in care. This study explores perspectives of foster carers working at one UK-based independent fostering agency, Five Rivers Child Care (FRCC). The twofold study, conducted in 2017, involved understanding foster carers’ perceptions both of routine assessments and subsequent feedback procedures; activities which are mandatory to facilitate foster carers’ understanding of the wellbeing needs of the young people within their care. In Study 1, an online quantitative survey established foster carers’ (n = 42) experiences of assessment and intervention, over a six-month timeframe. Study 2, conducted with a subsample of carers (n = 6) used telephone interviews to provide additional qualitative insight. The findings of both studies were consistent, highlighting the need for enhanced relevance of assessments, active involvement in the assessment process, more knowledge of the process; greater support with assessments; and further opportunity to self-reflect. The paper reflects on how the findings resulted in developments within the FRCC assessment process in 2018, including adaptations and additions to its protocol, with the aims of improving outcomes for children in care services, increasing collaboration and support, and enhancing reflection and practice. These findings have allowed for assessments to be tailored or changed, with carers being far more involved and informed of the process, resulting in improved practice and enhanced learning about this population. Furthermore, this study has wider implications beyond FRCC: the extracted themes are likely to be highly pertinent and applicable across similar populations, with assessment protocols enhancing understanding about the expectations and challenges that might emerge within this population.

KEYWORDS:

• Looked-after children
• foster care
• residential care
• assessments
• feedback

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Availability of data and materials

The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author (SH).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Saul Hillman

Dr Saul Hillman is both a Senior Research Fellow at the Anna Freud Centre and an Honorary Lecturer at University College London.

Katharine Anderson

Katharine Anderson works as the Referrals and Research Coordinator within the Assessment and Therapy team at Five Rivers Child Care.

Christina Demetri

Christina Demetri studied an MSc in Psychoanalytic Developmental Psychology at University College London. She currently works as a Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner within IAPT.

Richard Cross

Richard Cross is Head of Assessment & Therapy, Five Rivers Child Care. He is a member of the faculty at ISSTD & Arizona Trauma Institute.