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.

This current study addresses potential impediments to attachment that may differentiate between incarcerated juveniles who have committed sexual crimes and incarcerated juveniles who have not committed such offenses. The exploration of such potential barriers to attachment has been organized around Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Model. Subjects were 2948 incarcerated male adolescents adjudicated to the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice and were divided based solely upon adjudicating offense: Juvenile non-violent, non-sexual offenders (JNVNSO, n=1149), Juvenile violent, non-sexual offenders (JVNSO, n=1433) and Juvenile sexual offenders (JSO, n=366). Results indicated that JSOs differed from JNVNSOs and JVNSOs in their histories of sexual abuse as well as placements in foster care. Attachment impairment and the number of risk factors present were also found to be significantly related. Future research directions and potential policy repercussions are also addressed.

Specifics of alternative family care institutions The Keywords: Substitute Family Care Adoption Foster care Constitutional Education Children's Home Chances for the Future Abstract: The purpose of this thesis is to describe the specifics of individual foster care institutions. The thesis consists of two parts. The theoretical part illustrates the history adoption and foster care. Moreover various forms of alternative family care will be described adoption, foster care, guardianship, institutional care or facilities for children requiring immediate assistance. The practical part deals with the children's homes. It describes Children's Home in Horšovský Týn. It also addresses the potential consequences of constitutional education and the effect of project Chances for Future on careers of children from children's homes. Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)

The Diploma thesis is oriented into the area of a substitute family care in the Czech Republic. There are family functions disturbances in the respekt to the child specified in the first chapter, focusing mainly on those who most frequently, have an influence on a creation of so called "Infant social orphanage". The second chapter is dedicated to the possibilities of providing of substitute children nurture, mainly to single forms of substitute family care and theoretical recourses used for the optimal option of substitute child nurture. The content of the third chapter is a foster care (historical development, forms, infants indications, applicants motivation) and the newest type - the temporary foster care and its specifications compared to other forms of foster care. The fourth charter includes methodological recourses for an empirical research and thein interpretation. There are the Diploma Thesis findings and possibilities of further development of the substitute family care in the Czech Republic compiled in the fifth chapter.

Bakgrund: Valet av uppsatsämne grundar sig i att det skett en förändring i synen på betydelsen av en relation mellan föräldrar och barn under senaste århundradet. Att föräldrarna har fått en större betydelse i barnens liv gör det därför intressant att studera hur föräldrar som har sina barn placerade i familjehem görs delaktiga i barnens liv utifrån socialsekreterares uppfattningar om delaktighetsfrämjande arbete och sitt handlingsutrymme i detta arbete. Syfte: Syftet med denna studie är att utifrån ett symboliskt interaktionistiskt perspektiv beskriva och analysera socialsekreterares uppfattningar om sitt handlingsutrymme och delaktighetsfrämjande arbete med föräldrar till familjehemsplacerade barn. Metod: Denna studie har en kvalitativ ansats där materialet har skapats genom halvstrukturerade intervjuer och empirin utgörs av fyra stycken transkriberade intervjuer. Urvalet har skett genom att socialsekreterare som har arbetsuppgifter som innefattar att arbeta med föräldrar till familjehemsplacerade barn kontaktades. Empirin har sedan bearbetats och analyserats utifrån en tematisk analysmodell. Resultatet presenteras sedan i relation till studiens teoretiska ram samt tidigare forskning. Resultat: Denna studie visar på att tillgänglighet och kontinuitet är enligt socialsekreterarna av betydelse för skapandet av en relation mellan socialsekreterare och föräldrar, vilket i sin tur främjar föräldrarnas delaktighet samt att det kan vara av betydelse för barnets bästa. I detta arbete så upplever socialsekreterarna att deras handlingsutrymme är stort och att det har en frihet i hur de kan lägga upp ett delaktighetsfrämjande arbete med föräldrar till familjehemsplacerade barn. Men samtidigt beskriver de även aspekter som de upplever begränsa deras handlingsutrymme. / Background: The choice of subject in this study is based on the altered perception of the importance of a relation between parents and children the last century. The enlarged importance of parent's involvement in their children's lives makes it interesting to study how these parents are made participated by the social worker and their perspectives of a work that promotes participation among these parents and how the social worker perceive their discretion in this work. Purpose: This study aims to describe and analyse, from a symbolic interactionistic perspective, the perspective of social workers about their discretion and the work of promoting participation among parents with children in foster care. Method: This study has a qualitative approach where the material was made by semi-structured interviews and the empirics consists of four transcribed interviews. We contacted social worker who is working with parents that have children placed in foster care to make our selection. The empirics have then been processed and analysed with a thematic analyse model. The result is then presented in relation to this study's theoretical frame and previous research. Result: The results of this study shows that availability and continuity are, according to the social worker, of importance in the making of a relation between the social worker and these parents, which in turn can promote the parent's participation and it can also be for the child's best. In this work the social worker experiencing that they have a wide discretion which enables them to scheduled their own time which they spend in the work of promoting participation among parents with children in foster care. At the same time, they also describe aspects that they feel is limiting their discretion.

Hur ser familjehem och socialtjänst på familjehem? Denna studie undersöker och analyserar utifrån nio intervjuer med stöd i Habermas kommunikativa handlingsteori hur aktörer inom socialtjänst och familjehem upplever familjehemsvårdens uppdrag och dess förutsättningar.Resultatet beskrivs och analyseras utifrån uppdrag, samhälle och kommunikation. Det visar sig att det mellan grupperna finns likheter i hur uppdraget upplevs, i vilka behov de familjehemsplacerade barnen har, och även hur barnen initialt behöver tas emot i familjehemmet. Det skiljer sig dock i hur aktörerna uppfattar uppdragets mål, strategier och arbete. Det finns också skillnader i hur aktörerna ser på vad uppdraget kräver av familjehemmen. Respondenterna uttrycker begreppet ”visdom” som en viktig resurs hos familjehemsföräldrar, men beskriver olika förståelser för hur sådan utvecklas.Samhällets ramverk av förutsättningar för familjehem uppfattas av de flesta aktörer och samtliga intervjuade familjehem som otidsenliga. De menar att såväl ekonomiska förutsättningar som trygghet behöver utvecklas om det ska vara möjligt att rekrytera familjehem i framtiden.Kommunikationen, och framför allt kommunikationens kvalitet, mellan socialtjänst och familjehem avseende dels samverkan i ärenden och dels utveckling i form av handledning upplevs väldigt olika mellan grupperna. De kommunikativa processerna störs av såväl maktobalans och aktörernas olika positioner i förhållande till kommunikationen som bristande gemensam förståelse för arbetets innehåll och dess krav.Ett viktigt ämne för vidare studier torde vara förståelserna för vårdens innehåll och de kommunikativa processerna runt familjehemsvården, såväl i samverkan som i kompetens- och processutveckling. Hur begreppet visdom förhåller sig till familjehemsvård skulle i sig vara ett intressant område för vidare forskning.

Quando acolhida institucionalmente, a criança é abruptamente separada de pessoas de referência e colocada em um ambiente estranho, com pessoas desconhecidas. A vivência inicial da criança na instituição, como é recebida/acolhida, influenciará a maneira como enfrentará essa situação, a construção de novas relações afetivas e a manutenção dos vínculos afetivos anteriormente estabelecidos. Na creche/educação infantil, o processo de recepção/acolhimento tem importância reconhecida. O mesmo não acontece no acolhimento institucional. Com base teórico-metodológica na Rede de Significações, objetivou-se investigar o processo de recepção e acolhimento de crianças com idades até 6 anos, desenvolvido por instituições de acolhimento, a partir da perspectiva de profissionais envolvidos no processo. Participaram quatro instituições de cidade de grande porte do interior do estado de São Paulo. Foram entrevistadas 26 pessoas: três coordenadoras; quatro psicólogas; quatro assistentes sociais; três pedagogos; sete educadoras; um apoiador técnico; quatro conselheiros tutelares. As entrevistas contaram com questões disparadoras, no contexto de uma conversa e os dados foram analisados qualitativamente. Os resultados indicam que investimentos vêm sendo feitos na formação dos profissionais. E que a maioria dos que participaram da pesquisa está envolvida com a causa da criança e/ou com as crianças em si. Foram relatadas algumas práticas e sugestões de melhoria para o processo de acolhimento inicial, que se mostraram sensíveis às necessidades e capacidades da criança. Porém, ainda é insuficiente para garantir um processo de acolhimento inicial respeitoso e acolhedor para com a criança e sua família. Concepções antigas impregnam as práticas e o imaginário das pessoas. Apesar dos avanços, guardadas as diferenças pessoais/institucionais, decisões são tomadas sem que a criança e família participem efetivamente e sem que sejam preparadas para lidar com as mudanças decorrentes. A criança é, simplesmente, pega e levada à instituição. Sob essas condições, é separada e/ou desapropriada de tudo o que lhe é significativo (pessoas e objetos significativos), frequentemente, sem que nada lhe seja dito sobre o que está acontecendo e o que acontecerá. Recepção e acolhimento da criança resumem-se a higienizá-la, alimentá-la e distraí-la, por vezes, a partir de procedimentos altamente invasivos (nudez, fotografia, banho, corte de cabelo e unhas, por exemplo). E a instituição de acolhimento ainda encontra dificuldades para assumir sua corresponsabilidade no trabalho de manutenção dos vínculos familiares e comunitários (demora para dar início às visitas, que são semanais, com uma hora de duração, em dia e horário comerciais e regras rígidas a serem seguidas). Percebe-se que reflexões que promovam a (re)significação da identidade da instituição de acolhimento e a desconstrução das concepções e preconceitos que perpassam a relação entre profissionais e famílias, bem como entre adultos e crianças precisam receber atenção especial e contínua nos espaços já existentes de formação, e em novos espaços que devem ser criados. Apenas assim será possível qualificar o processo de acolhimento inicial da criança. Espera-se que esta pesquisa fomente e subsidie discussões e construções coletivas que contribuam para qualificar os procedimentos atualmente utilizados, perante a urgente necessidade de serem desenvolvidas práticas que respeitem e protejam a criança e não a (re)vitimizem. / When the child enters in a foster care institution, he/she is abruptly separated from family members and placed in a strange place, with strange people. Their initial experience in the institution, how they are received/welcome, will have an effect on the way they face the situation, construct new affectionate relationships and maintain the affective bonds already established. In early child education, the importance of the reception/welcome process is recognized. That does not occur in institutional foster care. Having the Network of Meanings perspective as a basis, this study investigated the process of entry and reception of zero to six years old children, in four foster care institutions of a large inland town of the State of São Paulo, Brazil. The process was observed from the perspective of 26 professionals involved: three heads of the institutions, four psychologists, four social workers, three pedagogues, seven educators, one technical support, four tutelar counselors. Interviews included instigative questions in a conversation context. Data was qualitatively analyzed. Results indicate that some investments are being made in professional training. Most professionals who were interviewed are involved in the cause of children and/or in the children per se. Some practices and suggestions of improvements were made for the reception, which indicate sensitivity to the childrens needs and abilities. But, it is still insufficient to guarantee a respectful and welcoming reception process to child and family. Old conceptions impregnate peoples practices and imaginary. Despite some progress observed, decisions are taken with no participation of the child and family, and with no preparation to face the resulting changes. The child is simply caught and taken to the institution. In those conditions, he/she is received in the institution separated or destitute of all that is meaningful (people and objects), frequently with no information about what is occurring or will occur in the future. The reception of the child is reduced to measures of hygiene, feeding and distraction, often through highly invasive procedures (nakedness, photos, bath, hair and nail cut, for example). The foster care institution has difficulties in assuming its co-responsibility in the maintenance of family and community bonds (delays in the visits, just once per week, at working hours, last one hour, with rigid rules to be followed). The spaces for training (and new spaces to be created) should offer opportunities to reflect on this situation, to deconstruct conceptions and prejudices that prevail between professionals and families, as well as between adults and children, helping to build up a new meaning and identity for the foster institution. Only in such way it will be possible to qualify the reception for the children. We do hope this research stimulate and contribute for discussions and collective constructions that improve the quality of those processes. There is an urgent need to develop practices that respect and protect the child and do no (re)victimize her/him.

Diploma thesis deals with values and life aspirations of clients with ordered institutional education. The hesis consists of theoretical and practical part. The theoretical part deals with legislation related to replacement foster care in the Czech Republic, the etiology of risk behaviour, behavioural disorders of childhood, and the impacts of institutional education on the overall development of the personality of the child. The aim of the practical part is to map the clients of the children's home with the Liběchov School through a research survey. Focus on clients' lives before entering the DDŠ and identify their value orientation and life aspirations in the field of education and partnership in the context of (in connection with) original family environment. The results of the survey point to the perception of family value, partnership in relationships, and education. KEYWORDS eplacement foster care, risk behaviour , behavioural disorders , moral development, attachment, deprivation, family.

Quando acolhida institucionalmente, a criança é abruptamente separada de pessoas de referência e colocada em um ambiente estranho, com pessoas desconhecidas. A vivência inicial da criança na instituição, como é recebida/acolhida, influenciará a maneira como enfrentará essa situação, a construção de novas relações afetivas e a manutenção dos vínculos afetivos anteriormente estabelecidos. Na creche/educação infantil, o processo de recepção/acolhimento tem importância reconhecida. O mesmo não acontece no acolhimento institucional. Com base teórico-metodológica na Rede de Significações, objetivou-se investigar o processo de recepção e acolhimento de crianças com idades até 6 anos, desenvolvido por instituições de acolhimento, a partir da perspectiva de profissionais envolvidos no processo. Participaram quatro instituições de cidade de grande porte do interior do estado de São Paulo. Foram entrevistadas 26 pessoas: três coordenadoras; quatro psicólogas; quatro assistentes sociais; três pedagogos; sete educadoras; um apoiador técnico; quatro conselheiros tutelares. As entrevistas contaram com questões disparadoras, no contexto de uma conversa e os dados foram analisados qualitativamente. Os resultados indicam que investimentos vêm sendo feitos na formação dos profissionais. E que a maioria dos que participaram da pesquisa está envolvida com a causa da criança e/ou com as crianças em si. Foram relatadas algumas práticas e sugestões de melhoria para o processo de acolhimento inicial, que se mostraram sensíveis às necessidades e capacidades da criança. Porém, ainda é insuficiente para garantir um processo de acolhimento inicial respeitoso e acolhedor para com a criança e sua família. Concepções antigas impregnam as práticas e o imaginário das pessoas. Apesar dos avanços, guardadas as diferenças pessoais/institucionais, decisões são tomadas sem que a criança e família participem efetivamente e sem que sejam preparadas para lidar com as mudanças decorrentes. A criança é, simplesmente, pega e levada à instituição. Sob essas condições, é separada e/ou desapropriada de tudo o que lhe é significativo (pessoas e objetos significativos), frequentemente, sem que nada lhe seja dito sobre o que está acontecendo e o que acontecerá. Recepção e acolhimento da criança resumem-se a higienizá-la, alimentá-la e distraí-la, por vezes, a partir de procedimentos altamente invasivos (nudez, fotografia, banho, corte de cabelo e unhas, por exemplo). E a instituição de acolhimento ainda encontra dificuldades para assumir sua corresponsabilidade no trabalho de manutenção dos vínculos familiares e comunitários (demora para dar início às visitas, que são semanais, com uma hora de duração, em dia e horário comerciais e regras rígidas a serem seguidas). Percebe-se que reflexões que promovam a (re)significação da identidade da instituição de acolhimento e a desconstrução das concepções e preconceitos que perpassam a relação entre profissionais e famílias, bem como entre adultos e crianças precisam receber atenção especial e contínua nos espaços já existentes de formação, e em novos espaços que devem ser criados. Apenas assim será possível qualificar o processo de acolhimento inicial da criança. Espera-se que esta pesquisa fomente e subsidie discussões e construções coletivas que contribuam para qualificar os procedimentos atualmente utilizados, perante a urgente necessidade de serem desenvolvidas práticas que respeitem e protejam a criança e não a (re)vitimizem. / When the child enters in a foster care institution, he/she is abruptly separated from family members and placed in a strange place, with strange people. Their initial experience in the institution, how they are received/welcome, will have an effect on the way they face the situation, construct new affectionate relationships and maintain the affective bonds already established. In early child education, the importance of the reception/welcome process is recognized. That does not occur in institutional foster care. Having the Network of Meanings perspective as a basis, this study investigated the process of entry and reception of zero to six years old children, in four foster care institutions of a large inland town of the State of São Paulo, Brazil. The process was observed from the perspective of 26 professionals involved: three heads of the institutions, four psychologists, four social workers, three pedagogues, seven educators, one technical support, four tutelar counselors. Interviews included instigative questions in a conversation context. Data was qualitatively analyzed. Results indicate that some investments are being made in professional training. Most professionals who were interviewed are involved in the cause of children and/or in the children per se. Some practices and suggestions of improvements were made for the reception, which indicate sensitivity to the childrens needs and abilities. But, it is still insufficient to guarantee a respectful and welcoming reception process to child and family. Old conceptions impregnate peoples practices and imaginary. Despite some progress observed, decisions are taken with no participation of the child and family, and with no preparation to face the resulting changes. The child is simply caught and taken to the institution. In those conditions, he/she is received in the institution separated or destitute of all that is meaningful (people and objects), frequently with no information about what is occurring or will occur in the future. The reception of the child is reduced to measures of hygiene, feeding and distraction, often through highly invasive procedures (nakedness, photos, bath, hair and nail cut, for example). The foster care institution has difficulties in assuming its co-responsibility in the maintenance of family and community bonds (delays in the visits, just once per week, at working hours, last one hour, with rigid rules to be followed). The spaces for training (and new spaces to be created) should offer opportunities to reflect on this situation, to deconstruct conceptions and prejudices that prevail between professionals and families, as well as between adults and children, helping to build up a new meaning and identity for the foster institution. Only in such way it will be possible to qualify the reception for the children. We do hope this research stimulate and contribute for discussions and collective constructions that improve the quality of those processes. There is an urgent need to develop practices that respect and protect the child and do no (re)victimize her/him.

Background: Children who enter foster care usually do so because of maltreatment by their birth families. Early adversity such as this is associated with many negative outcomes, including disturbances of attachment and mental health in childhood and throughout the lifespan. Young children (under 5) are particularly at risk due to maltreatment rates being highest in this age range, and because of the vital brain development that occurs during this time. Improving the quality of existing relationships for young children is the most cost effective way to improve mental health outcomes. It is important that research investigates which relational and psychological variables that exist within the foster carer-child relationship may be protective against developing negative mental health outcomes, so as to inform carer training and future interventions for this vulnerable group. Aims: The aims of this research project were twofold. The first aim was to systematically review the existing literature on links between foster carer psychological variables (such as commitment to their foster child), and/or child psychological variables (such as their attachment style), and the mental health outcomes of children in foster care. The second aim was to investigate whether foster carer acceptance, commitment, awareness of influence and reflective functioning (RF) predict the mental health outcomes of Scottish preschool aged children who are looked after in foster care. Method: A systematic review of the existing literature was undertaken to address the first aim. The search strategy resulted in 12 quantitative studies that investigated links between child or carer psychological variables and child mental health outcomes. An empirical study of 179 pre-school aged children in foster care in Scotland was carried out to address the second aim. Participants were taking part in a wider RCT of a novel intervention to improve outcomes and permanency decisions for children in foster care. Foster carer acceptance, commitment, and awareness of influence was assessed using the This Is My Baby Interview, and scores of RF were coded from the transcripts of this interview using a computer-based algorithm. Child mental health information was gathered using the Infant Toddler Social Emotional Assessment. Data was gathered at 2 time points; baseline assessments occurred around 4 weeks after entry to care, and follow-up assessments were carried out a year later. Results: The systematic review found good evidence that foster child attachment security is linked to more positive mental health outcomes. It also found some evidence suggesting that foster carer psychological variables such as commitment and quality of caregiving also relate to child mental health outcomes, but this research is in its infancy and it is therefore difficult to draw firm conclusions around this. The results of the empirical study showed that carer commitment and awareness of influence predict child competence at baseline, and RF predicts internalising and externalising problems at follow up. No predictive relationships were found between carer variables and child mental health over time. Conclusion: The results from both studies suggest that carer psychological variables such as commitment to their foster child may relate to child mental health development. These results have implications in terms of foster carer training, and for intervention development for this vulnerable population. This research is however in its infancy, and the results suggest a complex picture with regard to carer psychological variables and child mental health. Large-scale high quality longitudinal research is needed to provide a clear understanding of these relationships.