An exploratory study into the relative merits of related and unrelated foster care placements

Bibliography: leaves 79-94.The field of related foster care has to a large extent been neglected. Related foster care is regarded with considerable scepticism and ambivalence by many social workers because of a number of pitfalls which are often associated with such placements. The aim of this study is to explore the relative merits of related and unrelated foster placements, and thus to enhance knowledge in this area and so improve service delivery to foster children, their parents, by foster parents and child and family welfare agencies. A literature survey was undertaken during which it was evident that the field of related foster care has received little attention in both literature and research. The literature studies have highlighted some of the pros and cons of related and unrelated foster placements. A questionnaire was constructed and administered to a sample of related and unrelated foster parents. A descriptive analysis was made of the results with the focus being on the behaviour and academic functioning of the children. The overall findings in this study showed that children fostered by relatives seemed to be doing at least the same as, and in some aspects better than, those children fostered by recruited unrelated foster parents. Over a 11 there appeared to be some significant advantages for those children who were being fostered by relatives