The purpose of this study is to better understand, from a foster parent perspective, how the integration process of the foster child is carried out in the foster family. The purpose is to identify the challenges and success factors in the process. The study is based on a qualitative method. The data consist of interviews with six foster families. The study’s theoretical framework is mostly based on system theory and also on the theory of ambivalence. The results show that most of our families considered five factors to be important in order to facilitate the integration process. The foster family needs to bond with the foster child, let the foster child in into the family system, open up and be who they really are, respect each other and reserve time to be able to satisfy the needs of foster child. The results emphasize that the foster parents should treat the foster child in the same way as the biological child.  We have also been able to identify factors that may have an impact on integration, like the age of the foster child. Our results suggest that foster parents experience different varieties of ambivalence to both the foster child and the foster child's biological parents. Those children who have a poor relationship with their biological parents and are of relatively young age tend to be over-integrated in the foster family.

Disertacijoje nagrinėjamas katalikiško auklėjimo šeimynose reiškinys. Lietuvoje sukurtos šeimynos – tai sutuoktiniai, į savo šeimą priėmę nuo 6 iki 12 tėvų globos netekusių vaikų. Skiriamasis šeimynos, kaip globos institucijos, bruožas – šeiminė aplinka, būtina visapusiškam ir harmoningam vaiko vystymuisi. Šeimynoje augančių vaikų harmoningas vystymasis būna sutrikdytas netekties: nepageidaujamo nėštumo; deprivacijos, smurto, asocialios aplinkos gimus; galiausiai - tėvų (šeimos, namų) praradimo tėvams atėmus tėvystės teises ar, rečiau, mirties, ligos, emigracijos atvejais. Netekties pasekmės - pažeisti santykiai su aplinka (jaučiamas nesaugumas, nepasitikėjimas kitais, negebėjimas prisirišti ir palaikyti nuoširdžius santykius su kitu asmeniu, negebėjimas pritapti), savimi (pasireiškia žema saviverte, nepasitikėjimu savimi, bejėgiškumo, nevykėlio jausmais, negebėjimu suprasti savo emocijų, autoagresija), gyvenimu (pesimizmas, suicidinės mintys). Šių pasekmių įveikai reikalingos stiprios priemonės, kurias, teikia katalikiškas auklėjimas, savo esme orientuotas į santykių atkūrimą. Taigi, disertacijoje aptariami šeimynos kaip šeimos aplinkoje tėvų globos netekusius vaikus globojančios bendrijos struktūros ypatumai, pateikiama šios struktūros socialinio pedagoginio darbo su bešeimiais vaikais charakteristika, apžvelgiami vaikų auklėjimo šeimynoje teoriniai pagrindai, nustatomas katalikiško auklėjimo šeimynoje problemiškumas, pabrėžiamas šeimynos kaip įvairialypės ir polifunkcinės... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The thesis analyses phenomenon of catholic upbringing in the foster family. The foster family is spouses who, successfully growing or having grown their children, accept to foster from 6 to 12 children who have lost parents’ care. The main feature of foster family as foster care institution is created family environment which is necessary for the child’s cohesive and versatile development. The cohesive development of foster children is disturbed by loss that is caused by unwanted pregnancy, deprivation, violence, finally by lost of parents (together family and home). The consequences of that lost appear as destroyed relations with surroundings, oneself and life. The coping with consequences of loss requires strong measures, which are given by Catholic upbringing, which in its essence is orientated to reconstruction and perfection of relations. So, there are discussed the peculiarities of the foster family as a structure that is close to the family environment, presented the characteristics of social pedagogical work with non-parental children of this structure, reviewed theoretical foundations of children’s upbringing in the foster family, identified problems of Catholic upbringing in the foster family, emphasized the role of the foster family as a poly-functional social community, upbringing children in a Catholic way in the theses.

The aim of the study was to gain knowledge about what role the foster carers’ biological children play in foster family care and also gain a deeper understanding of the biological children´s significance in a foster family care arrangement. The aim of the study has been conducted through the perspective of the Social services. The data collection consists of eight individual qualitative and semi-structured interviews with social workers who are currently working with foster families there biological children are living at home. The new childhood sociology and the concept of participation serve as the base of the theoretical framework and have been applied to the analysis of this study. The study shows that the respondents have a positive attitude towards the biological children´s presence in the foster families. They value the biological children´s function in the families as important and should thus not be forgotten. At the same time, there are no clear guidelines for how the social worker should work with foster carers’ biological children. The contact between the social worker and the biological children mostly goes through the children’s parents. The role of the biological children is not always clearly defined in the foster family care arrangement and their involvement can be perceived as insignificant. Furthermore the respondents terminates that no special support designed for biological children in foster families exists. Several respondents also reflect upon that they want to avoid burdening the biological children with responsibility that is not theirs to bear. The role of the biological children in the foster family care and their significance in the foster family care arrangement concludes therefore acknowledged by the social worker but not always recognized.

1 ABSTRACT The diploma thesis is focused on experience with self-reflection of social workers who supporting foster families. It is divided into two parts - theoretical and empiric. Aim of the thesis was to find out what kind of experience with self-reflection has social workers of organizations supporting foster families. The theoretical part has five chapters. The first chapter shows to readers what profession of a social worker is about - at first it looks at social work in context of helping professions, then it defines expert studies, abilities, and personality of social worker, and it also mentions possible motivation for working in this field. The second chapter brings topic of foster care and a definition of supporting; it describes supporting organizations for foster families and role of social worker in it. In the third chapter there can be found definition of self-reflection (in narrow meaning it brings nearer parts of self-reflection such as self-approach, self-knowledge, or self-regulation); further there can be found consideration of what importance self-reflection has for social workers and which tools to reach it they can use. The fourth chapter is aimed at view of influence which can affect self-reflection, such as emotion of worker, projection, topic of power and powerlessness, work with...

The purpose of this study was to find out about the presence of unannounced home visits in foster families based on a survey of Swedish municipalities. The study also aimed at increasing knowledge about why unannounced home visits were made. In order to achieve the purpose of this study, mixed methods were used in both a quantitative and qualitative approach. The quantitative part of the study consisted of a census where all Swedish municipalities' guidelines and procedures for the prevention of foster homes were collected. Qualitative interviews were held with five social services, which stated in their guidelines that unannounced home visits should be made. To analyze both the study's quantitative and qualitative results, theories of legitimacy and power were used. The study concluded that the law on follow-up of foster homes gives municipalities a large margin of interpretation because the visits are regulated by the municipalities themselves. Another conclusion from the study was that no one knows which follow-up methods that really helps. Therefore, evaluations and research on follow-up of foster care must be established.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-29T14:16:22Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Janete Aparecida Giorgetti Valente.pdf: 2187166 bytes, checksum: 140b5358f6a2e66fe7747445f9719204 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-06-06 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This thesis examines the network for Care and Protection detected in the context of the SAPECA a Foster Family service in the City of Campinas, from the narrative of children and adolescents forstered and fostering, families of origin, foster families and of the professional team of the foster service. The study starts with an analysis of the movements in the 80s of the the 20th century aiming the institution of a democratic state of rights, particularly the rights of children and adolescents under protective measures and their families. In the context of this movement, with the approval of the National Social Assistance Policy (PNAS/2004), the Foster Family Service has been instituted as a public policy, which is reaffirmed with the changes in the Statute of Children and Adolescents by Law 12.010/2009. The stories collected and the approaches with the theoretical reflections found the existence of a network of Care and Protection in the operationalization of the work. It was noticed that next to the technical nature of the actions taken in Sapeca there is a way of working which includes sensitivity, lovingness and concern for doing a job efficiently and effectively. This service is presented as an action of the State that has intentions and guidelines that are developed from goals, methodology consistent with the the situtuation and measured by indicators. The findings of this study confirm the centrality of the categories Care and Protection to ensure the full development of children and adolescents under protective measure, focusing on the shared responsibility by the state, the family and society / Esta Tese analisa a trama de Cuidado e de Proteção detectada no contexto do Serviço de Acolhimento em Família Acolhedora da Prefeitura Municipal de Campinas, o SAPECA, a partir da narrativa de crianças e adolescentes acolhidos e acolhedores, das famílias de origem, das famílias acolhedoras e de sua equipe profissional. Inicia sua apresentação com a análise do movimento que se institui no país a partir da década de 80 do século XX, no sentido da construção de um Estado Democrático de Direitos, particularmente, dos direitos de crianças e adolescentes sob medida protetiva e de suas famílias. No contexto desse movimento, com a aprovação da Política Nacional de Assistência Social (PNAS/2004), o Serviço de Acolhimento em Família Acolhedora passa a ser executado como política pública, o que é reafirmado com a mudança provocada no Estatuto da Criança e do Adolescente, pela lei 12.010/09. As histórias coletadas e as suas aproximações com as reflexões teóricas constataram a existência de uma trama de cuidado e de proteção na operacionalização desse trabalho. Percebeu-se que junto ao caráter técnico das ações realizadas no SAPECA existe um modo de trabalhar que inclui a sensibilidade, a amorosidade e a preocupação por realizar um trabalho com eficiência e com eficácia. Este Serviço apresenta-se como uma ação do Estado que tem intencionalidades e diretrizes que se desenvolvem a partir de metas, com metodologia condizente às ações suscitadas em uma proteção especial e com resultados medidos a partir de indicadores. As conclusões deste trabalho confirmam a centralidade das categorias Cuidado e Proteção para a efetivação do desenvolvimento integral das crianças e adolescentes sob medida protetiva, enfocando a responsabilidade compartilhada pelo Estado, pela família e pela sociedade

In 2014, Washoe County Department of Social Services in Nevada, licensed only 50 of 400 parents who applied to foster children. Lack of long-term effective foster parents creates instability within the system. Significant concern over increased numbers of children entering foster care and a decreased number of qualified foster care applicants continues. The Casey Foster Family Assessment (CFFA), a comprehensive assessment of key traits of effective foster parents may further enhance the fostering application process. The identified CFFA subscales most predictive of future foster parent effectiveness, may help WCDSS more effectively identify applicants likely to provide long-term stable homes for children. Local licensed foster parents and their case managers were recruited to complete the CFFA, and Effective Foster Parent Survey (EFPS). Using the Ecology theory of Bronfenbrenner and Belsky as a foundation, a series of Pearson bivariate correlations were conducted using the CFFA and EFPS scores and a regression analysis was conducted to determine the results. Results showed foster parents (N=35) with a high level of dedication, sufficient time, higher perceived degree of responsibility then the agency, and willing to foster children of differing racial, religious, cultural, or sexual identity backgrounds were viewed by their case managers as being highly effective. Identifying effective skills, and providing support and training to foster parents, may increase the likelihood that a child will stay in one home instead of moving repeatedly, reducing mental health risks of foster children. Three significant correlates were identified: positive parent-child interaction, participation in spiritual activities and attendance at agency training, set a foundation for continued research in additional effective foster parent skills and how to assess for these qualities in incoming applicants.

The Bachelor Thesis looks into the cultural identity of a Romany child in foster care in the so-called majority family. The theoretical part of my thesis is focused on foster care topic, and does not neglect any failure, problems or trauma that children bring into foster families from their previous life. It also describes basic terms of the mentioned issue, such as human race, ethnic group, culture, identity, role and status. The practical part deals with the analysis of interviews with the foster parents and seeks to answer the research question: What circumstances (categories) affect a Romany child in foster families from the majority society during the process of adaptation into a family and social integration?

The dissertation is about quality of life in children's homes and children referred to foster family care in Central Bohemian Region. Theoretical part charecterizes quality of life, needs and rights of a child, family and their functions. In next part it describes foster care, deals with foster family care, institutional care and question of transformation and unification of system of care of endangered children in The Czech Republic. The empirical part is pointed to comparison overall quality of children life in children's homes and foster care, their orientation in values, satisfaction in particular parts of their life. The results point to spheres where stated groups are different, where are the same and offer possibilities for next research in this area.

Children, who grow up in families, where their parents have decided to take care of a foster child on a commission of the social welfare services, are not often given the possibility to tell about their experience of having foster siblings, in research and other studies. The aim of this study was to give biological children, in these families, a chance to tell their narratives of growing up with foster siblings, creating opportunities for families, who might have plans to take care of foster children in the future. They can get a picture of how it could be for the family´s own children. The biological children got the opportunity to tell their narrative stories including the relationships in their families and how they were looking forward into their own future and family life. The used theory takes part in systemic thinking, looking at the family as an organization and how identities are created in relationships and in communication. The method was interviews with six “children” and analyze of the text material. The result is presented in short summaries and quotation. The result shows that the children have been influenced in different ways by living with foster siblings and they have a large empathize for their parents and the situation. It also shows that the relations between the biological children and the foster children can be lasting for their future and the biological children can see the foster child as a “real” sibling. Communication and the feeling of participation were important for the children. All stories are individual but some conclusions appear. One is that the children is involved in everything that happens around them and they have own strategies to handle it.