This project investigated the subjective perceptions of family reported by people who have experienced long-term foster care. Foster care involves removal from their biological family of children deemed to be in need of care, and their placement in alternative homes. Foster children may spend varying amounts of time in care, and may have multiple caretakers. The research began with three broad questions: Who do people who have experienced long-term foster care think of as their family? How close do they feel to them? How would they like their family to be? Two exploratory studies were conducted. In Study 1, 43 children in long-term family foster care (CFFC participants) aged between 8 and 15, who had been in care for more than one year, and 42 matched controls, completed the Kvebaek Family Sculpture Technique (KFST). They chose figures to represent family members and placed them on a chess board, using the squares to indicate emotional closeness or distance from each figure. A representation of their �ideal� family was also obtained. Most CFFC participants nominated their foster family as their family, and few changed their ideal representation. In Study 2, 39 adults aged between 19 and 65 (AFCC participants), who had been in either family foster care or cottage homes for at least one year, and a comparison group of 39 matched controls, completed the KFST according to perceptions of family now, as children, and an ideal family. An in-depth, semi structured interview on perceptions of family followed. For the majority of AFCC participants, connections to foster family when they were children had dissipated over time. Nevertheless, about half of the AFCC participants were still strongly and positively attached to one set of foster parents. The major determinant of attachment to foster parents appeared to be a nurturing environment, while a non-nurturing environment was the most prominent feature of failure to attach to foster parents. Visiting by biological parents contributed to continued attachment to them, however, relationships with biological parents were reported as ambivalent, distant, and unsupportive. Foster care participants appeared similar to those in other studies, however, the two samples were small, and may not be representative in terms of ideas about family membership. Caution is necessary in any attempt to generalise from the findings to a wider foster care population. Implications for theory, policy, and clinical applications are discussed, and suggestions made for further research.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Oregon State University, 2007. / Printout. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 98-105). Also available on the World Wide Web.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, San Diego, 2001. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 375-382).

This is a story of the failing Texas foster care system, told by the people who work in it and more importantly, the children affected by it. Foster parents Jim and Kay Mayo and their foster children Brian and Heaven shared their troubled pasts and hopes for the future so more people could understand the problems facing them. There is no easy answer but hopefully some planned changes in policy will shape a better system. To delve deeper into the Mayo’s family dynamic and hear Brian tell his story in person, I invite you to see my video about Brian, Misael and Heaven here: “Far From Home” http://vimeo.com/41420290. The password is: foster care. / text

This study explored whether the Child and Adolescent Functional Assessment Scale (CAFAS) scores of children in the care of Family and Children's Services of Renfrew County might predict foster placement outcomes. A file review was completed for 268 children, all of whom had at least one set of CAFAS scores completed, to obtain data regarding the number and types of placements they experienced. Placement categories were ranked -- in order from best alternate care option to least-desired -- by 11 agency employees. These rankings were used to calculate total weighted placements for each child as a measure of the child's foster placement experience. In regression analyses, including age, gender, and reasons for placement, CAFAS scores were found to be the most significant predictor of the number and nature of placements experienced by a child. This relationship suggests that there might be value in using CAFAS as a placement matching tool in a child welfare setting.

This thesis reports on a study examining the direct and indirect costs to volunteer carers of providing a fostering service in Australia. The study highlights the current difficulties in carer recruitment and retention, the increases in the challenging and complex needs of the children coming into care, and the growing professionalism of fostering. The study uses a budgetary approach to estimate the direct costs of fostered children. In-depth interviews and focus groups with carers are instrumental in providing a range of perspectives that assist our understanding of how the direct costs of fostered children are different from (higher than) the costs of other children. The study found the costs of fostered children were 40 per cent higher than the costs of children not in care. The thesis indicates that, to maintain and retain a volunteer workforce, an adequate carer remuneration system to meet the direct costs of fostered children is critical. To examine the indirect costs of fostering, the study uses a multi-method approach providing a monetary value of the opportunity costs (foregone earnings model) and time costs (proxy good or market replacement model) for foster carers. The emotional and psychological dimensions of fostering are also examined, though no monetary value is assigned to these costs. Carers??? vivid and contrasting stories from the interviews explain how ???money??? fits with carer motivation and fostering???s more professional role, how carers perceive the nature of fostering (job or parenting), and whether carers should be paid to foster. Revelations of fostering???s emotional and time dimensions and restricted employment opportunities (indirect costs) highlight the impact fostering has on carers and their families. The study found that the indirect costs of fostered children were around four times the value of the direct costs. In light of the growing professionalism of contemporary foster care, difficulties in carer recruitment/retention, and the demanding nature of fostering, the thesis examines whether carers should be paid for the service they provide (compensation for indirect costs). Using a number of theoretical concepts developed by feminist economists and social theorists on paying for caring labour, the thesis found support for the contention that altruism (???love???) and carer pay (???money???) are not incompatible, and ambiguities and tensions for foster mothers around money and love can be resolved. Studies of countries where carers receive a wage component as part of their remuneration package provide insights into wage levels, perceived adequacy of the wage, and the impact of wages on carer recruitment/retention. The study found that, due to the profoundly gendered nature of fostering, the compensatory aspects of remuneration (fee/wage or salary) are generally poor. The implications for government welfare spending of paying Australian carers are discussed, and the savings to governments of using a volunteer workforce are demonstrated.

Thesis (M.A.)--Oregon State College, 1955. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 113-115). Also available on the World Wide Web.

Thesis (M. Ed.)--University of Canterbury, 2007. / Typescript (photocopy). "February 2007." Includes bibliographical references (leaves 88-89). Also available via the World Wide Web.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Delaware, 2007. / Principal faculty advisor: Donald G. Unger, Dept. of Individual & Family Studies. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (MPhil) -- AUT University, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references. Also held in print (x, 225 leaves ; 30 cm.) in City Campus Theses Collection (T 362.7330993 SHI)