Although, foster care is relatively widespread in Switzerland, the professional transition planning of the transfer of decision-making abilities, after the foster children attain the age of majority, is a topic, which has rarely been taken into account so far. However, it is important that transition planning, including all administrative, transfer of decision-making abilities, and guardianship processes, should begin at least one year before the age of majority (the age of consent in Switzerland is 18). Even so, professional transition planning is barely standardised and institutionalised yet. In this practice-based research study the current situation and the perception of the relevant groups, the need of the practice, and foster families have been analysed. Therefore, qualitative data collection methods have been used to focus on a multi-perspective approach, including that on foster parents and social workers at official municipality-level. Several relevant topics and aspects, such as applicable administrative tasks or residential issues, which are considered to be of particular relevance and therefore have to be addressed during the transition planning process, have been found. Moreover, important emotional and social aspects were identified.

Violence against women is one of the main social problems worldwide. Marital rape and its recognition are discussed as a new boundary mark because of greater social sensitivity on violence. From an intercultural social work perspective, it is highly relevant to learn more about perceptions of different kinds of violence in order to plan adequate interventions. The article presents findings from expert interviews related to the perception and the intervention structure contextualised by the discourse on marital rape in India. It concludes six main implications for intercultural social work. The main finding (6) states that in all of these settings, the role of the family system should not be underestimated, and whenever possible couple counselling should be considered. Viewed against the background of the highly individualised Swiss society, this is a finding, which needs to be taken into careful account in Swiss intercultural social work.

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