Needs of Foster Care Peer Support Volunteers

Brown, Jason; Kapasi, Aamena; Weindels, Samantha; Eyre, Vanessa

doi:10.1007/s10591-019-09505-w

Cited by 6 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…The challenge of establishing boundaries is appearing more frequently in the peer mentorship literature [ 20 ]. Brown et al highlighted that foster care peer support volunteers expressed concerns regarding boundaries, showing that this topic requires greater attention [ 30 ]. We may need to reach out to other professional care practices (e.g., psychologist) to learn how such boundaries are established in those contexts to provide support to SCI peer mentors.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Outcomes of peer mentorship for people living with spinal cord injury: perspectives from members of Canadian community-based SCI organizations

et al. 2021

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Outcomes of peer mentorship for people living with spinal cord injury: perspectives from members of Canadian community-based SCI organizations

et al. 2021

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“…Support from adult children, extended family, and friends of foster carers, as well as tailored formal training, have been found to promote carers’ resilience in continuing their role (Butler & McGinnis, 2021). Peer or social support from other carers is emphasized as an essential element for providing knowledge, emotional and practical help from experienced carers (Brown et al, 2019; Lynes & Sitoe, 2019; York & Jones, 2017) as were support systems independent of foster care and the child welfare system (Blythe et al, 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring social networks in foster caring: The mockingbird family in Australia

Jones,

Patmisari,

McLaren

et al. 2024

Journal of Social and Personal Relationships

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In their care of children and young people, foster carers report experiencing social isolation and a lack of support. This study examines the social network experiences of Australian foster carers who are members of Mockingbird Family. While well established in the United States and United Kingdom, Mockingbird Family was introduced to Australia offering a new approach to address the unique challenges of foster caring for vulnerable children and young people. The model geographically networks 6–10 foster care households in a ‘constellation’ with a central ‘hub home provider’ tasked with providing information, support, and respite care. This study employed a cross-sectional explanatory sequential mixed methods approach to investigate social connections and supports in the first four Australian Mockingbird Family constellations. A social network tool was used to survey participants ( n = 27) and two focus groups ( n = 20) to gather their experiences. Analysis found the highest mean social network connections with people from within their own Mockingbird Family constellations. Three measures of centrality were used indegree, betweenness and closeness, to report the connections and role of members within each constellation. Comparing constellations at different stages of maturity, the hub home provider was consistently ranked with high betweenness centrality as the bridge. In the longer-running constellations, the hub home provider was ranked with high indegree centrality or the primary source of advice or expert support. This indicated micro-network evolution that may potentially result in reduced reliance on statutory and other formal system supports over time. Changes to micro-dynamics in social support within constellations were explained qualitatively through three themes: leadership and expertise, information diffusion and communication, and trust and familiarity. Mockingbird Family was found to provide social connections and support networks amongst foster carers, indicating the model’s capacity to strengthen supports to carers thereby strengthening the immediate environment of children and young people in care.

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