Abstract
This qualitative study examined foster parents’ perceptions of the initial transition period in order to better understand the family formation process that occurs when a new placement is transitioned into the home. A snowball sampling method was used to recruit ten foster parents to participate. A constant comparative analysis of interview transcripts guided by grounded theory approaches yielded a model of the foster family transition process that identified three main tasks: establishing trust and a sense of belonging; re-establishing family homeostasis; and working with external stakeholders. Responsive, trauma-sensitive care; realistic expectations; parenting skills; and access to resources facilitated foster family movement through the transition process. While foster families shared many of the same tasks as other family forms adding a new member, unique aspects of the foster family context were identified. Foster families often form with an incomplete knowledge of the new family member’s medical and trauma history and under the oversight of the social service system. Unlike other family types, permanence is not the primary objective of foster family formation. Study findings have implications for foster parent training and support during the transition of a new placement and affirm the value of including foster parents’ perspectives in research.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adler-Baeder, F., & Higginbotham, B. (2004). Implications of remarriage and stepfamily formation for marriage education. Family Relations, 53(5), 448–458. doi:10.1111/j.0197-6664.2004.00053.x.
Brown, J. D. (2008). Foster parents’ perceptions of factors needed for successful foster placements. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 17, 538–554. doi:10.1007/s10826-007-9172-z.
Brown, J. D., Anderson, L., & Rodgers, J. (2015). Resource workers’ relationships with foster parents. Journal of Child and Family Studies. Online first. doi:10.1007/s10826-015-0204-9.
Brown, J. D., & Campbell, M. (2007). Foster parent perceptions of placement success. Children and Youth Services Review, 29(8), 1010–1020.
Buehler, C., Cox, M. E., & Cuddeback, G. (2003). Foster parents’ perceptions of factors that promote or inhibit successful fostering. Qualitative Social Work, 2(1), 61–83. doi:10.1177/1473325003002001281.
Cartwright, C. (2012). The challenges of being a mother in a stepfamily. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 53(6), 503–513. doi:10.1080/10502556.2012.682904.
Christenson, B., & McMurtry, J. (2007). A comparative evaluation of preservice training of kinship and nonkinship foster/adoptive families. Child Welfare, 86(2), 125–140.
Cooley, M. E., & Petren, R. E. (2011). Foster parent perceptions of competency: implications for foster parent training. Children and Youth Services Review, 33, 1968–1974.
Cowan, P. A., & Cowan, C. P. (2012). Normative family transitions, couple relationship quality, and healthy child development. In F. Walsh (Ed.), Normal family processes: growing diversity and complexity. 4th edn. (pp. 428–451). New York: Guilford Press.
Daniel, E. (2011). Gentle iron will: foster parents’ perspectives. Children and Youth Services Review, 33, 910–917.
Fereday, J., & Muir-Cochrane, E. (2006). Demonstrating rigor using thematic analysis: a hybrid approach of inductive and deductive coding and theme development. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 5, 80–92.
Fernandez, E. (2009). Children’s well-being in care: evidence from a longitudinal study of outcomes. Child and Youth Services Review, 31, 1092–1100.
Fox, A., Berrick, J. D., & Frasch, K. (2008). Safety, family, permanency, and child well-being: what we can learn from children. Child Welfare, 87(1), 63–90.
Glaser, B. G. (1992). Emergence vs. forcing. Basics of grounded theory analysis. Mill Valley, CA: Sociology Press.
Gibbs, D., & Wildfire, J. (2007). Length of service for foster parents: using administrative data to understand retention. Children & Youth Services Review, 29(5), 588–599. doi:10.1016/j.childyouth.2006.11.002.
Goldberg, A. E., Kinkier, L. A., Moyer, A. M., & Weber, E. (2014). Intimate relationship challenges in early parenthood among lesbian, gay, and heterosexual couples adopting via the child welfare system. Professional Psychology: Research & Practice, 45(4), 221–230. doi:10.1037/a0037443.
Hedin, L. (2014). A sense of belonging in a changeable everyday life—a follow-up study of young people in kinship, network, and traditional foster families. Child & Family Social Work, 19(2), 165–173. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2206.2012.00887.x.
Hollin, G., & Larkin, M. (2011). The language and policy of care and parenting: understanding the uncertainty about key players’ roles in foster care provision. Children and Youth Services Review, 33(11), 2198–2206. doi:10.1016/j.childyouth.2011.07.004.
Holmes, E. K., Sasaki, T., & Hazen, N. L. (2013). Smooth versus rocky transitions to parenthood: family systems in developmental context. Family Relations, 62(5), 824–837. doi:10.1111/fare.12041.
Kerr, L., & Cossar, J. (2014). Attachment interventions with foster and adoptive parents: a systematic review. Child Abuse Review, 23(6), 426–439. doi:10.1002/car.2313.
Khoo, E., & Skoog, V. (2014). The road to placement breakdown: foster parents’ experiences of the events surrounding the unexpected ending of a child’s placement in their care. Qualitative Social Work, 13(2), 255–269. doi:10.1177/1473325012474017.
Kids count (2011). Data snapshot on foster care placement. Retrieved from http://www.aecf.org/m/resourcedoc/AECF-DataSnapshotOnFosterCarePlacement-2011.pdf#page=1.
Leve, L. D., Harold, G. T., Chamberlain, P., Landsverk, J. A., Fisher, P. A., & Vostanis, P. (2012). Practitioner review: children in foster care—vulnerabilities and evidence-based interventions that promote resilience processes. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 53(12), 1197–1211. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7610.2012.02594.
Lindhiem, O., & Dozier, M. (2007). Caregiver commitment to foster children: the role of child behavior. Child Abuse & Neglect, 31(4), 361–374. doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2006.12.003.
McKay, K., Ross, L. E., & Goldberg, A. E. (2010). Adaptation to parenthood during the post-adoption period: a review of the literature. Adoption Quarterly, 13(2), 125–144. doi:10.1080/10926755.2010.481040.
Minuchin, S. (1974). Families and family therapy. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Noonan, K., Rubin, D., Makonnen, R., Zlotnik, S., & O’Reilly, A. (2009). Securing child safety, well-being, and permanency through placement stability in foster care. Evidence to Action, 1 retrieved from http://stoneleighfoundation.org/sites/default/files/Evidence%20to%20Action%20No%201.pdf.
Olson, D. H. (2000). Circumplex model of marital and family systems. Journal of Family Therapy, 22(2), 144.
Oosterman, M., Schuengel, C., Slot, N., Bullens, R., & Doreleijers, T. (2007). Disruptions in foster care: a review and meta-analysis. Children and Youth Services Review, 29, 53–76.
Portrie, T., & Hill, N. R. (2005). Blended families: a critical review of the current research. Family Journal, 13(4), 445–451. doi:10.1177/1066480705279014.
Rock, S., Michelson, D., Thomson, S., & Day, C. (2015). Understanding foster placement instability of looked after children: a systematic review and narrative synthesis of quantitative and qualitative evidence. British Journal of Social Work, 45(1), 177 doi:10.1093/bjsw/bct084.
Rodger, S., Cummings, A., & Leschied, A. W. (2006). Who is caring for our most vulnerable children? The motivation to foster in child welfare. Child Abuse & Neglect, 30(10), 1129–1142. doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2006.04.005.
Rork, K. E., & McNeil, C. B. (2011). Evaluation of foster parent training programs: a critical review. Child & Family Behavior Therapy, 33, 139–170.
Rostill-Brookes, H., Larkin, M., Toms, A., & Churchman, C. (2011). A shared experience of fragmentation: making sense of foster placement breakdown. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 16(1), 103–127. doi:10.1177/1359104509352894.
Sanchirico, A., Lau, W. J., Jablonka, K., & Russell, S. J. (1998). Foster parent involvement in service planning: does it increase job satisfaction? Children and Youth Services Review, 20(4), 325–346.
Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. (1998). Basics of qualitative research: techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Taylor, B. J., & McQuillan, K. (2014). Perspectives of foster parents and social workers on foster placement disruption. Child Care in Practice, 20(2), 232–249. doi:10.1080/13575279.2013.859567.
Thompson, H., McPherson, S., & Marsland, L. (2016). ‘Am I damaging my own family?’: relational changes between foster carers and their birth children. Clinical Child Psychology & Psychiatry, 21(1), 48–65. doi:10.1177/1359104514554310.
U.S. Children’s Bureau (2015). Trends in foster care and adoption. Retrieved from http://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/cb/afcarsreport22.pdf.
Whenan, R., Oxlad, M., & Lushington, K. (2009). Factors associated with foster carer well-being, satisfaction and intention to continue providing out-of-home care. Children & Youth Services Review, 31(7), 752–760. doi:10.1016/j.childyouth.2009.02.001.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lanigan, J.D., Burleson, E. Foster Parent’s Perspectives Regarding the Transition of a New Placement into their Home: An Exploratory Study. J Child Fam Stud 26, 905–915 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-016-0597-0
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-016-0597-0