The findings of this study offer agencies useful ways to develop social relationships with foster parents and to implement useful and accessible training opportunities. Strengthening what works well frees agencies to promote these areas to recruit new parents and simultaneously maintain quality foster homes.

Given the general challenges associated with finding alternative care for an increasing number of orphans and vulnerable children (OVCs) in Zimbabwe, adoption appears to be an appropriate option. In practice adoption appears is one of the alternative forms of child care and ye it t has not received the necessary research attention. This study was aimed at developing an in-depth understanding of the challenges experienced by adoptive parents in the adoption of OVCs in Zimbabwe and the support system available for them in managing such challenges using the ecological systems theory. A qualitative research approach which was designed from exploratory, descriptive and contextual research designs to understand the challenges experienced by adoptive parents in the adoption of OVCs in Zimbabwe was adopted, with purposive and snowball sampling techniques used to identify and recruit a sample of eight parents who have undergone the process of adoption. Data was collected by means of semi-structured interviews guided by an interview guide and analysed according to Braun and Clarke’s six steps of qualitative data analysis. Trustworthiness of this study was evaluated according to its credibility, transferability, dependability and confirmability as proposed by Guba and Lincoln while relevant ethical principles were upheld throughout the entire duration of the study. The findings revealed a variety of socio-demographic features of adoptive parents as well as several challenges and experiences which are presented in a form of 10 themes and 13 subthemes in this report. Conclusions are drawn based on the research process and the research findings from which the recommendations are proposed for research, practice and training and education. / Social Work / M. A. (Social Work)

The purpose of this study was to examine the training and support services that were available to foster parents licensed with San Bernardino County, Department of Children's Services. San Bernardino county is responsible for approximately 510 licensed foster homes.

This study proposed to explore several factors that promote foster parent satisfaction in order to preserve quality foster homes to serve the 532,000 displaced children currently in the child welfare system. A sample of 52 foster parents were surveyed to determine overall satisfaction with their foster care experience at Children's Way Foster Family Agency in San Bernardino, California. It was hypothesized that the higher the level of foster parent satisfaction, the higher rates of retention. A modified version of an existing instrument titled "Foster Parent Satisfaction Survey" was utilized in this study.

This study firstly investigates the prevalence of HIV/AIDS and the resulting deaths from an international, African and South African perspective. These statistics provide a backdrop to the phenomenon of grandparent-headed households. The needs of orphans and the characteristics of grandparent-headed households are explained. The researcher describes the services offered to these households by a number of supporting agencies internationally and in South Africa. Erik Erikson’s model of psychosocial development is used as a structure to explain childhood grieving during the various psychosocial development stages, including adolescence. The views and experiences of a number of South African grandparent-headed households are described as well as the views of stakeholders offering support to these families. Lastly the researcher offers guidelines to professionals and lay people who endeavour to empower grandparents who fulfil the role of parents in the context of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Guidance and Counselling)

The aim of this study was to explore absent fathers' experiences. This involved determining absent fathers' conceptualisation of fatherhood, exploring the psychological well-being of absent fathers, and how absent fathers cope with being absent from their children‟s lives. An ecosystemic approach was employed as the epistemology to understand the participants in terms of organisation of their behaviour in social contexts. Qualitative research was used, and in-depth interviews were conducted to collect the data. The research found that these fathers' experiences of being absent from their children's lives have negatively affected several aspects of their lives, both emotionally and behaviourally. Furthermore, the study concluded that fathers who are absent from their children‟s lives, while aware of the roles they need to play, seem unable to fulfil these roles. Lastly, the absent fathers revealed a tendency to react ambivalently towards their identities as fathers. / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)

The aim of this study was to explore absent fathers' experiences. This involved determining absent fathers' conceptualisation of fatherhood, exploring the psychological well-being of absent fathers, and how absent fathers cope with being absent from their children‟s lives. An ecosystemic approach was employed as the epistemology to understand the participants in terms of organisation of their behaviour in social contexts. Qualitative research was used, and in-depth interviews were conducted to collect the data. The research found that these fathers' experiences of being absent from their children's lives have negatively affected several aspects of their lives, both emotionally and behaviourally. Furthermore, the study concluded that fathers who are absent from their children‟s lives, while aware of the roles they need to play, seem unable to fulfil these roles. Lastly, the absent fathers revealed a tendency to react ambivalently towards their identities as fathers. / Psychology / M. A. (Clinical Psychology)

This study firstly investigates the prevalence of HIV/AIDS and the resulting deaths from an international, African and South African perspective. These statistics provide a backdrop to the phenomenon of grandparent-headed households. The needs of orphans and the characteristics of grandparent-headed households are explained. The researcher describes the services offered to these households by a number of supporting agencies internationally and in South Africa. Erik Erikson’s model of psychosocial development is used as a structure to explain childhood grieving during the various psychosocial development stages, including adolescence. The views and experiences of a number of South African grandparent-headed households are described as well as the views of stakeholders offering support to these families. Lastly the researcher offers guidelines to professionals and lay people who endeavour to empower grandparents who fulfil the role of parents in the context of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Guidance and Counselling)

Seventeen grandparent caregivers, who have primary responsibility for one or more grandchildren and do not have a parent of the grandchildren living in the household, were interviewed to evaluate the effectiveness of the services offered by Kinship Family Center (KFC), a non-profit support agency for relative caregivers and the children in their care. Kinship Family Center is a program of the Central City Lutheran Mission and is funded by the San Bernardino County Department of Children's Services. The researchers found that KFC was an effective asset for informal grandparent caregivers. For grandparents, it was a source of support and comfort in their role of "second time around parents." For children, it served as a means to help identify with other children in similar situations.

The purpose of the study was to gather data that could help minimize the number of placements that foster children often experience. The results of this study are intended to help California child welfare agencies and other foster care agencies develop additional policies that support the development of stable foster care placements for dependent children.