Matching children with foster carers: A literature review

Zeijlmans, Kirti; López, Mónica López; Grietens, Hans; Knorth, Erik J.

doi:10.1016/j.childyouth.2016.12.017

Cited by 23 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…Lack of crucial information may complicate a genuine matching of the child's needs and the foster family's ability to meet those needs, as emphasized by several foster parents in our study. In addition, research knowledge on matching is scarce; consequently, there is not sufficient research evidence to support a positive relationship between matching and placement stability (Zeijlmans, López, Grietens, & Knorth, ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“We felt completely left to ourselves.” Foster parents' views on placement disruption

Tonheim

Iversen

2018

Child & Family Social Work

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The purpose of this paper is to explore the reasons for unintended placement disruptions in foster care. Based on a semistructured survey, the paper presents the views of 132 Norwegian foster parents who have experienced placement disruption between 2013 and 2015. Foster parents rated several relevant causes of placement disruption: the child's behaviour, the need for care, concern for the well-being of their biological children, and lack of support from the Child Welfare Service (CWS).Although the child's behaviour was the cause most frequently reported in the quantitative data, CWS-related factors such as poor collaboration, not being valued and listened to, insufficient support and follow-up, and a mismatch between the child's needs and the foster carers' capacity were reported most frequently in the qualitative data. Placement disruption appears to be caused by the sum and interaction of several coexisting causes. It may not be the child's behaviour per se but rather the combination of challenging behaviour, concern for one's biological children, and insufficient support from CWS that lead to disruption. Good collaboration with the CWS in the form of respect, recognition, support, and follow-up appears to be of the utmost importance in reducing the risk of placement disruption. KEYWORDS biological children, child welfare, externalizing behaviour, follow-up and support, foster care, placement disruption | BACKGROUNDThe Norwegian CWS is embedded in a welfare state model that provides numerous universal welfare services to its citizens. Within this welfare state model, the CWS is responsible for services to particularly vulnerable children and their families. The Norwegian child welfare system is both a child-focused and a family service system

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“We felt completely left to ourselves.” Foster parents' views on placement disruption

Tonheim

Iversen

2018

Child & Family Social Work

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“…Matching a child with foster carers may be instrumental in determining outcomes for a child, and sustainability of a placement [ 77 , 78 ]. Matching is a complex decision-making process, and a range of factors (e.g., siblings, ethnicity/culture, behaviour, carer experience and expectations, parenting style or organizational factors) are considered [ 78 , 79 ] during the process of selecting a foster family who is the best fit for a child. Participation of children, birth parents and foster carers in the matching decision-making process has the potential to improve the outcomes of a placement, empowers stakeholders and can diminish negative effects.…”

Section: Addressing the Eu Strategy And The Guarantee Into The Portuguese Alternative Carementioning

confidence: 99%

The EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child and the European Child Guarantee—Evidence-Based Recommendations for Alternative Care

Sacur

Diogo

2021

Children

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Protection and promotion of child rights are referred to as a central purpose of the European Union (EU). Therefore in 2021, the EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child and the European Child Guarantee were published to enable children to have the best possible life in the EU and worldwide. Member states were invited to implement the directions of both documents into practice. The present study analyses and showcases the evidence on how to progress implementation of the Strategy and the Guarantee regarding alternative care in Portugal. A literature review was conducted based on international literature. Evidence-based recommendations for the Portuguese transition process towards quality, family and community-based care are stated. De-institutionalisation and strengthening specific services—kinship care, special guardianship, and foster care—are advocated, namely specialising the workforce, and promoting training for kinship carers and prospective special guardians. To conclude, the revision and monitoring of the measures for children in need of alternative care are suggested as well as integrating and publishing data from the diverse services of the alternative care system.

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“…Practitioners need to inform children and parents of the youth care plans and cannot do anything without the approval of stakeholders unless a judge rules otherwise or when participation could inflict serious harm to those involved. However, implementing participation is challenging, since practitioners must navigate between the views of those involved, legal norms and principles, economic and bureaucratic conditions (Pösö and Laakso, ), and the less than ideal circumstances (Colton et al, ; Zeijlmans et al, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Participation of Children, Birth Parents and Foster Carers in the Matching Decision. Paternalism or Partnership?

et al. 2019

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Participation of children, birth parents and foster carers in matching decision‐making has the potential to improve the outcomes of a foster care placement. When practitioners choose which foster family is the best fit for a foster child, those affected by the foster care placement should be involved in decision‐making when possible. This research paper examines the influence of children, birth parents and foster carers on the matching decision from a practitioner's perspective. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 22 practitioners from 17 of the 28 foster care organisations in the Netherlands responsible for matching children with foster families. The analysis identified three themes that diminished the influence of children, birth parents and foster carers on the matching decision: assumptions, timing and feasibility. The findings emphasise that the influence of stakeholders on the matching decision is highly contextual. In the matching process, practitioners can be seen as key figures in facilitating the influence of stakeholders, yet they are also confronted with the difficulty of dealing with more than one stakeholder, who can have opposing interests, in an often compromised setting with limited choices. Key Practitioner Messages Despite policy to stimulate the involvement of children, birth parents and foster carers in decisions, their influence on the matching decision is sometimes futile. Assumptions made by practitioners, timing in the matching process and a compromised setting diminish the stakeholders' influence on the matching decision. Practitioners are key figures in improving participatory practice to make sure that stakeholders feel understood, valued and taken seriously.

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Matching children with foster carers: A literature review

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Cited by 23 publications

References 34 publications

“We felt completely left to ourselves.” Foster parents' views on placement disruption

“We felt completely left to ourselves.” Foster parents' views on placement disruption

The EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child and the European Child Guarantee—Evidence-Based Recommendations for Alternative Care

Participation of Children, Birth Parents and Foster Carers in the Matching Decision. Paternalism or Partnership?

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