Thesis (M.S.)--Boston University / PLEASE NOTE: Boston University Libraries did not receive an Authorization To Manage form for this thesis or dissertation. It is therefore not openly accessible, though it may be available by request. If you are the author or principal advisor of this work and would like to request open access for it, please contact us at open-help@bu.edu. Thank you. / 2031-01-01

A prospective, exploratory study examined the relationships between birth family contact factors and long-term placement outcomes for children who are in foster or kinship care in New South Wales. The present study utilized data which was collected for 338 children in the Children in Care study; which was conducted between 1999 and 2009. This included data that was collected from a baseline survey and a review of case files from the State Child Welfare database. The participants of the Children in Care study were between four and eleven years of age. The present study involved a series of statistical analyses including: correlations, chi-square tests, t-tests, ANOVAS, multiple linear regressions, and binary logistic regressions. Some linear associations were identified between frequency of contact and reported issues, frequency of contact and restoration, and children’s reactions to contact and reported issues. However; these associations were found to be insignificant when controlling for other significant predictors in regression models. None of the birth family contact variables examined in the present analyses were found to be significant predictors of further abuse/behavioural issues in care, placement stability, or restoration. Some of the significant predictors of such outcomes included: age at entry into care; pre-care mental health; previous placements, care arrangements; and caregivers support and contact with other foster carers. Overall, the present analyses highlighted that contact may not necessarily have detrimental, or beneficial impacts on children in care; however further research in this domain is required in order to identify if other contact factors may have any impact on outcomes for children in kinship or foster care.

Bakgrund: Tidigare forskning visar på vikten av att stötta barn i dygnsvård i deras kontakt med ursprungsfamiljen. Det finns flertalet studier som belyser barnet och ursprungsfamiljens upplevelser av kontakten dem emellan. Hur socialsekreterarna arbetar med kontakten i Sverige är dock inte ett lika utforskat område.Syfte: Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka hur socialsekreterare arbetar med kontakten mellan barn i dygnsplacering och barnets ursprungsfamilj samt vilka risker och skyddsfaktorer de såg med kontakten mellan det dygnsplacerade barnet och dess ursprungsfamilj.Metod: Metoden som användes var kvalitativ där kvalitativa intervjuer samt en fokusgrupp ligger som grund för resultatet.Resultat och slutsats: Socialsekreterarna ansåg att deras arbete kräver en förmåga av att vara kreativ i hur de planerar kontakten samt i deras egna bemötande till ursprungsfamiljen. Det framkom att utöver vårdnadshavare var övriga personer i ursprungsfamiljen bortglömda eller bortprioriterade då kontakten planerades. / Background: Earlier studies show the importance of supporting the contact between children in out-of-home care and their birth-family. There are several studies that highlight the experiences of the contact between children in out-of-home care and their birth-families. How social workers in Sweden work with the contact is an unexplored area.Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate how social workers manage contact between children in out-of-home care and their birth-family and the risk and safety factors regarding the contact between the child in out-of-home care and its birth-family.Method: The basis for the qualitative study were individual interviews and a focus group.Results and conclusion: The social workers considered that their work required an ability to be creative in how they plan the contact between the child and its birth-family and how they respond to the birth-family. The study also demonstrates how others from the birth-family than the child’s parents were forgotten or ignored in the contact planning.

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The aim of the master thesis is described the issue of contact of children in temporary foster care. The theoretical part describes temporary foster care and other forms of foster care. The theoretical part is focused on the status of birth family, foster parents and their support services. There are mentioned reasons for placing the child to the foster family. The master thesis contains current facts from this area in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland and Hungary. In the practical part there are used qualitative methods, namely semi-structured interviews and case reports. The purpose of these methods is to show the possibilities, advantages and limitations and recommendations regarding the contact of children in temporary foster care with their birth family.