Foster family in view of biological children

The diploma thesis is concerned with the long-term foster care; particularly with the experience of foster carer's own children. It provides knowledge of the alternative care system in the Czech Republic and the particularities of foster families. It describes how own children of foster carers experience the period of time before their foster sibling's arrival, what are their feelings and reactions after the arrival, how their positions in the family change, how their relationships are formed and how they perceive their parent's decision retrospectively. The theoretical part is followed by empirical part which is composed of quantitative and qualitative research. The results of quantitative research introduce the experience of biological children and create a basic idea of the situations in foster families. The conclusions of the qualitative research are then an addition of the quantitative part and help to a better imagination of the life in foster families. This thesis should contribute to foster care applicants, their children and specialists who work with foster families. Key words alternative family care, foster care, foster family, biological child, foster children, foster carers training, sibling