Suchergebnisse

ABSTRACTThe paper presents results from a study of sons and daughters of foster carers, and the impact of fostering on their lives. Children and young people participated in focus groups and discussion groups, and 684 answered a questionnaire. Eight were interviewed in‐depth. The results from the study showed that sons and daughters of foster carers were highly involved in the fostering assignment. Most children and young people valued their relationship with foster children, but even though relations to foster children were good, fostering could imply complicated changes of everyday life. Sons and daughters of foster carers may have to cope with conflicts connected to behavioural disorders of foster children, and they gained knowledge about foster children's problematic lives. Fostering also implied contact with natural parents of foster children. Such contact could challenge children's and young people's' perception of adequate parenthood. For some respondents it was hard to become aware of the dysfunctional parenting, abuse and/or neglect to which foster children might have been exposed. The results of the study provided evidence of the need to acknowledge the contribution to fostering made by sons and daughters of foster carers, and also to recognize the impact fostering may have on their lives.

The fostering assignment can have a great impact on the inner dynamics of the foster family. In a study by Ingrid Höjer at the University of Gothenburg, 366 foster carers (192 women and 174 men) responded to a questionnaire, and the wife and husband in 17 foster families were interviewed. Findings reveal how, through fostering, men and women became engaged in a kind of teamwork where both partners were working towards a mutual goal. This partnership seemed to increase the closeness between the couple. Women mainly initiated fostering, but men eventually became equally engaged. Both male and female carers were committed to the fostering task, which at times made it hard for them to combine foster care and parenting their own children. Biological children had less access to parental time and attention, as the problems of their foster siblings had to be the first priority for their parents.

AbstractResearch highlights the importance of supportive relations for young people leaving care. Foster carers give an important contribution to such support. However, there is less knowledge about foster carers' views about the relational contact after the young person has aged out of care. This article explores foster carers' perspectives building on interviews with foster carers from both Norway and Sweden about their views on relational continuity. Life course and network theory are used as theoretical lenses to understand the opportunities and challenges for further contact both with cares and extended foster family. Findings suggest that foster carers have a lifelong perspective, still the relationship can be uncertain and some result in breaks. Viewed from a life course perspective, the relationships can also be renewed, and foster carers and other members of the foster family seem to be important sources of support for young people with a care background.

"Zweck dieser Studie ist es, narrative Darstellungen jungen Menschen zu untersuchen, die sie als Wendepunkte beschreiben und die im Zusammenhang mit ihrer Zeit währen und nach dem Verlassen von Fürsorgeeinrichtungen stehen. Dabei wurden Telefoninterviews mit 65 jungen Menschen im Alter zwischen 18 und 26 Jahren geführt, die Fürsorgeeinrichtungen in Schweden innerhalb einer Zeitspanne von mindestens drei Monaten und maximal drei Jahren verlassen haben. Insgesamt legen die Resultate nahe, dass positive wie auch negative Wendepunkte im Zusammenhang mit Care Leavers, stehen. Um eine vertrauensvolle Beziehung zu einem Familienmitglied oder einer wichtigen anderen Person entwickeln zu können, sind das Gefühl, Kontrolle über das eigenen Leben zu haben und die Möglichkeit zu erleben, einen negativen Lebensverlauf zu verändern, entscheidende Elemente in der Darstellung von Wendepunkten der jungen Care Leavers. Diese Elemente waren auch mit ihren Erfahrungen während der Unterbringung verbunden und den Einfluss den sie auf ihre Identität und ihr Wohlergehen hatten." (Autorenreferat)

ABSTRACTThe transition from a placement in care to an independent life can be a problematic phase for young people. In Sweden, special care‐leaving services are almost non‐existent. What then happens to young people when they leave a placement in out‐of‐home care? This paper draws on the results of a study in which 16 young care leavers between the ages of 18 and 22 years were interviewed. Telephone interviews were also performed with the young care leavers' parents, social workers, foster carers and institutional staff. The aim of the study was to investigate how young care leavers perceive the transition from care to an independent life. The Swedish welfare model, the prolonged transition to adulthood and the family‐oriented welfare discourse have been used as analytical perspectives. The results show that young care leavers have a pronounced need for social, emotional, practical and financial support. Whilst such support is occasionally provided by foster carers and residential staff, it is seldom given by social services or biological parents. This group is at risk of facing severe problems in the transitional phase from care to independent life, a fact that is not acknowledged by the Swedish welfare system.