CHALLENGES OF FOSTER CARE CHILDREN WITH BEHAVIOR DISORDERS FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF EXPERTS

Cilj istraživanja je dobiti uvid u izazove udomiteljstva djece s problemima u ponašanju iz perspektive stručnjaka. Podaci su prikupljeni putem polustrukturiranih intervjua (N=7). U radu se problematiziraju sami izazovi s kojima se nose postojeći udomitelji djece s PUP-om iz perspektive stručnjaka koji rade s tom djecom te njihova iskustva u području udomiteljstva djece s PUP-om, kao i njihovi prijedlozi za unaprijeđenje specijaliziranog udomiteljstva, a sve u svrhu unapređenja specijaliziranog udomiteljstva i dobrobiti djece s poremećajima u ponašanju. Rezultati pokazuju da su glavni problemi prakse sustava udomiteljstva u RH prije svega što specijalizirano udomiteljstvo kao takvo nije zaživjelo te ne postoje specijalizirani udomitelji koji su specifično educirani za rad s djecom s PUP-om, iako postoje zakonske osnove za taj oblik udomiteljstva. Postojeći udomitelji koji ponekad i imaju na smještaju dijete s PUP-om od istog vrlo brzo odustaju te prekidaju udomiteljstvo, a dijete se seli drugim udomiteljima ili ide na smještaj u neki od domova koji skrbe o djeci s PUP-om. Razlozi odustajanja udomitelja su prije svega njihova nemogućnost da se na adekvatan način nose sa problemima samog djeteta, nedostatak edukacije o poremećajima u ponašanju, nedostatak potrebnih znanja i vještina te vrlo mala podrška od strane države i različitih institucija.The goal of the research is to gain insight into the challenges of foster care for children with behavioral problems from the perspective of experts. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews (N=7). This paper discusses the challenges alone cope existing foster parents of children with behavioral disorders from the perspective of professionals working with these children and their experiences in the field of foster care for children with behavioral disorders, as well as their suggestions for improvement of specialized foster care, with the purpose improving specialized foster care and welfare of children with behavioral disorders. The results show that the main problems the practice of foster care system in Croatia primarily as specialized foster care as such has not happened and there are no specialized foster parents who are specifically trained to work with children with behavioral disorders, although there is no legal basis for this form of foster care. The current foster parents who sometimes have to stay a child with behavioral disorders by the same very quickly give up and drop out foster care and child moved to other foster parents or going to stay in some of the homes that care for children with behavioral disorders. The reasons for giving up foster parents are primarily their inability to adequately deal with the problems of the child, lack of education on behavioral disorders, lack of necessary knowledge and skills and very little support from the state and various institutions