Uninformed, Afraid and Confused: What Children Need to Know at the Beginning of Their Foster Care Process

ABSTRACT

This article focuses on the information that children need to be given when they are moving to a fostering placement. Generally, children are not consulted or informed prior to the foster decisions being made, nor when they arrive at the placement. Therefore, they do not usually know their foster care situation and the changes it implies for their lives. The literature available shows that informing children is the first step in enabling them to participate in their own fostering process. Participation empowers them and endorses successful intervention. In order to understand which information is crucial for children's wellbeing and adaption to this initial fostering experience, a qualitative research study was carried out. The study was developed in Spain and it used focus groups and interviews as instruments to gather information. The sample was composed of 30 fostered children, 42 parents, and 63 child care professionals. The results show the importance of sharing five essential aspects with children: (a) the real reasons for family separation; (b) the intervention which took place before removing them from their home; (c) their rights as fostered children; (d) the characteristics of the foster placement; (e) the visitation schedule. It helps children to cope with their new situation by empowering them and making them more adaptive to face all of the changes which are coming. Finally, some good practice tips for professional were also stated in order to improve the information sharing experience.

KEYWORDS:

• Child Welfare System
• foster care
• children’s voices
• child wellbeing
• children participation

Acknowledgements

The researchers are grateful for the participation of the children, parents and professionals in the study. In addition, researchers would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the constructive and enriching suggestions made by reviewers to improving the quality of published work.

Disclosure statement

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

Additional information

Funding

This study has been developed by GRISIJ Research Group for Social and Educational Interventions in Child and Youth (2017SGR905), and financed by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (RTI2018-099305-B-C21), Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (EDU2014-52921-C2-1-R) and Ministry of Science and Innovation (EDU2011-00144-C02-01) of Spanish Government.

Notes on contributors

Crescencia Pastor

C. Pastor, Ph.D., is professor at the University of Barcelona. Department of Methods of Research and Diagnosis in Education. Member of the Research Group for Social and Educational Interventions in Child and Youth.

Mª Àngels Balsells

M. A. Balsells, Ph.D., is full professor at the Department of Pedagogy, Faculty of Education, Social Work and Psychology University of Lleida, Spain. She is director of the Chair Education and Adolescence and she is a member of the Research Group for Social and Educational Interventions in Child and Youth. Her research activity is focused on adolescence, childhood and the family in situations of social risk and vulnerability. Her research to contribute to the creation of scientific frames of reference and transform them into resources for the educational activities focuses on: (1) Family Reunification in the Child Protection System; (2) positive parenting; and (3) participation of children, adolescents and youth.

Eduard Vaquero

E. Vaquero, Ph.D., is lecturer and professor at the Department of Pedagogy, Faculty of Education, Social Work and Psychology University of Lleida, Spain. He is a member of the Research Group for Social and Educational Interventions in Child and Youth. His research activity is focused on children and adolescents at social risk and in vulnerable situations, and on resilience and educational technology. Nowadays he participates and contributes on projects about Family Reunification in the Child Protection System among others.

Maribel Mateo

Maribel Mateo, is associate professor at the University of Barcelona. Department of Methods of Research and Diagnosis in Education. Member of the Research Group for Social and Educational Interventions in Child and Youth.

Anna Ciurana

Anna Ciurana holds a Ph.D. in Education of the University of Barcelona. Psychologist in the Child Protection System. Member of the Research Group for Social and Educational Interventions in Child and Youth.