QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS OF FOSTER PARENTS EXPERIENCE

U Hrvatskoj udomiteljstvo ima relativno dugu tradiciju, no rijetka su istraživanja udomiteljstva, kako ona usmjerena na učinke boravka djece u udomiteljskim obiteljima, tako i ona usmjerena na udomitelje. U ovom radu prikazani su rezultati kvalitativne analize intervjua udomitelja (N=76) koji se odnose na njihovo iskustvo u udomljavanju. Postupak kvalitativne analize proveden je u šest koraka: 1. uređenje empirijske građe, 2. određivanje jedinice kodiranja, 3. otvoreno kodiranje, 4. izbor i definiranje relevantnih pojmova i kategorija, 5. odnosno kodiranje i 6. oblikovanje «pokusne teorije». Rezultati ukazuju na to da udomitelji općenito imaju pozitivna iskustva o udomljavanju djece izdvojene iz primarnih obitelji. Iskustvo ovisi o okolnostima koje prethode udomljavanju, a vezane su uz okolnosti izdvajanja i obilježja djeteta, o okolnostima života u udomiteljskoj obitelji, od prilagodbe do razvoja privrženosti između djeteta i udomitelja, te o kontinuiranoj podršci i pomoći socijalnih i drugih nadležnih službi. Istaknuta je potreba za promocijom i razvojem udomiteljstva, te za stvaranjem pretpostavki za kvalitetno udomiteljstvo sustavnom i stručnom podrškom koju valja pružiti udomiteljima kao primarnim vršiteljima izvaninstitucionalne skrbi za djecu.In Croatia, foster home placement has a relatively long tradition, but the research studies of foster home placement have been rare, both those oriented towards the effects of the children’s stay in foster families and those oriented towards fosterers. This paper presents the results of the qualitative analysis of the interviews of foster parents (N=76) related to their experience in fostering. The qualitative analysis procedure has been conducted in six steps: (1) putting in order the empirical material; (2) determining the coding units; (3) open coding; (4) the selection and definition of relevant notions and categories; (5) related coding and (6) formation of the “experimental theory”. The results show that foster parents have generally positive experience in regard to placing children excluded from their primary families. The fostering experience depends on the circumstances that precede the foster home placement, and which are connected to the circumstances of the exclusion and characteristics of the child; the circumstances of the life in the foster family, from the adjustment to the development of attachment between the child and the foster parent and the continued support and assistance provided by the social service and other competent services. The need for the promotion and development of foster care has been emphasised, as well as the need to create the prerequisites for the foster home placement of quality through the systematic and professional support of foster parents as the primary performers of non-institutional care for the children