Practical considerations of physical and emotional sibling violence in foster families: A summary of the current literature

ABSTRACT

This article draws upon current literature and case examples to enrich the understanding of physical and emotional sibling violence in foster families. A brief overview of physical and emotional sibling violence is presented followed by a discussion of the interventions that address sibling conflict and aggression. The lack of knowledge regarding sibling violence for different kinds of sibling combinations is highlighted. The authors stress the potential for negative interactions among children in foster families and the need to alter approaches to include all sibling combinations.

KEYWORDS:

• Child maltreatment
• family interventions
• family systems
• foster families
• sibling violence