Thesis (M.A. (Social Work)) --University of Limpopo, 2015 / Please refer to the document / University of Limpopo

The educational underachievement of children in foster care has been known for a long time. This study aimed to compile and analyze the current knowledge about interventions, intended to improve foster children’s school achievements. The method used was a systematically undertaken narrative review. Despite a comprehensive searching strategy, only ten relevant studies were found, indicating that little has been done to improve the educational outcomes for children in public care. The result shows that eight out of the ten interventions were effective in some way. Literacy appeared to be improved with fairly modest efforts, whilst improvements in numeracy, seemed to need more directed interventions. Among the success factors were providing books, tuition or structured individualized support and involving carers, school and foster care agencies in the process. An implication for the future is that foster children’s poor academic achievements can be improved with focused support. Also there’s a definite need for more intervention studies.

The purpose of this study was to explore the potential benefits of a therapeutic horsemanship program for children adopted from foster care and their adoptive mothers. Standardized measures, open-ended interviews and surveys were administered to determine effects on external child behavior, child self-esteem and parenting stress. The Child Behavior Checklist was administered to measure behavioral challenges in the children in this sample. There were no statistically significant changes on any of the CBCL scales. Qualitative data from the mothers, Instructors and researcher observations show some affect on behavior. The Culture Free Self-Esteem Inventory-3 was administered to measure self-esteem of the nine children in the sample. The decrease on the Global Self-Esteem Quotient of the CFSEI-3 was statistically significant using. Of the nine children, only three of them scored in the clinical range at pre-test. Of these three, two moved into the normal range and the third improved her score to be very close to the normal range. Qualitative data from the mothers, Instructors and researcher observations support this finding. The Total Stress score of the Parenting Stress Index -- Short Form for the mothers in the sample did not show a statistically significant decrease. Six of the nine mothers' pre-test and post-test scores were in the clinical range and only three had decreased post-test scores. The Qualitative data obtained through interviews, surveys and observations did not support a direct impact of the program on stress levels but rather an impact on level of support. Many mothers reported that they liked spending time with the other mothers to share resources and discuss their children. The data collected in this study does not provide sufficient evidence to make any causal statements about therapeutic horsemanship programs and children adopted from foster care. It does, however, provide support for the need for future research. The findings from this study have implications for meeting the needs of a variety of children adopted from foster and their adoptive parents. / text

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2005. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Most research studies focus on foster children or foster parents, there is dearth of research on the impact of fostering on biological children. This aim of this study was to fill the gap in the literature regarding the experiences of biological children sharing a home with foster children. It also investigated how biological children perceive foster care and challenges encountered by children under foster care. This was achieved through a qualitative research approach. The study was conducted at Zwelitsha Township in King Williams Town. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with thirty biological children of foster parents and ten social workers in practice. Two focus group discussions were held with twenty foster parents. A focus group discussion guide was used in collecting information during the discussions. Purposive sampling was used in the study and data was analysed according to themes. The major findings revealed that fostering has both positive and negative impacts on biological children and the foster family. Biological children find foster care placement as helpful to children whose parents cannot provide care and protection for children. They gain and learn new knowledge through fostering and are happy about their new siblings in the family since they have companionship. On the other hand, minority of biological children were ambivalent about foster care as they were uncertain between altruistic feelings of making a difference in the lives of needy children against the negative outcomes of fostering. One biological child was negative about foster care. This participant did not like the idea of fostering and did not describe any personal positive outcomes resulting from his fostering experiences. The findings revealed that biological children are unable to voice out their views and ideas regarding foster care placement. The findings also revealed that biological children are not passive observers on how fostering influences their daily lives. Instead, they use strategies to influence fostering processes, especially to protect their foster siblings for the fostering process to be successful, while also having feelings of responsibility for their foster siblings. The findings further suggest that despite the complex nature of the fostering task, professionals should recognise and acknowledge the input of biological children to fostering. It is, therefore, suggested more training should be provided to foster parents to continually include the opinions of their own children in fostering decisions.

Magister Philosophiae - MPhil

Please read the abstract in the section, 00front, of this document / Dissertation (MA(MW))--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Social Work and Criminology / unrestricted

Court-dependent children--Hermeneutic dialectic circle--Transactions--Saliencies--Need for permanence--Conflicts--Bio-psycho-social-cultural assessment--Communication--Training--Guardianship.

The project is concerned with the effectiveness of the Independent Living Program (ILP) in assessing the effectiveness of preparing youth for emancipation from the foster care system. Specifically, the project focused on ILP participants' preparedness to live independently as determined by: education, housing, employment/career, and money management skills attained.

This study explored the relationship between child sexual abuse and its impact on foster children's social development as measured by attachment constructs. The study addressed issues relating to direct practice with children who have been sexually abused and are receiving services in the foster care system. The study used a positivist paradigm with a quasi-experimental approach and a qualitative component, and surveyed foster parents' perceptions of their foster child's attachment.