TY - JOUR
T1 - Predictors of foster parents' satisfaction and intent to continue to foster
AU - Denby, Ramona
AU - Rindfleisch, Nolan
AU - Bean, Gerald
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was supported by the Urban Affairs Project of The Ohio State University through a grant from the Ohio Board of Regents.
Copyright:
Copyright 2018 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 1999/3
Y1 - 1999/3
N2 - Objective: The United States General Accounting Office (United States General Accounting Office [USGAO], 1989) report on out-of-home care affirmed that the foster care system is in crisis. To shed light on some factors that influence retention, the study reported here asked 'What factors influence the satisfaction of foster parents?' and 'What factors influence the intent of licensed foster parents to continue to foster?'. Method: A sample of 539 foster parents in eight urban counties in a large Midwestern state completed questionnaires aimed at addressing these questions. Results: Some of the factors exerting the strongest influence on satisfaction were: feeling competent to handle the children who were placed; wanting to take in children who needed loving parents; no regrets about investment in foster children; foster mother's age; and agency social worker providing information and showing approval for a job well done. An example of factors exerting influence on intent to continue to foster include overall satisfaction, readiness to phone the social worker, number of foster boys in the home, being treated like one needed help oneself, and agency affiliation (private). Conclusions: Efforts to increase the supply of foster homes through recruitment is not enough. The support, training, and professional regard given to parents after they have begun the fostering task is of greater need. Based on analysis of the findings, implications for practice, programming, and policy are offered.
AB - Objective: The United States General Accounting Office (United States General Accounting Office [USGAO], 1989) report on out-of-home care affirmed that the foster care system is in crisis. To shed light on some factors that influence retention, the study reported here asked 'What factors influence the satisfaction of foster parents?' and 'What factors influence the intent of licensed foster parents to continue to foster?'. Method: A sample of 539 foster parents in eight urban counties in a large Midwestern state completed questionnaires aimed at addressing these questions. Results: Some of the factors exerting the strongest influence on satisfaction were: feeling competent to handle the children who were placed; wanting to take in children who needed loving parents; no regrets about investment in foster children; foster mother's age; and agency social worker providing information and showing approval for a job well done. An example of factors exerting influence on intent to continue to foster include overall satisfaction, readiness to phone the social worker, number of foster boys in the home, being treated like one needed help oneself, and agency affiliation (private). Conclusions: Efforts to increase the supply of foster homes through recruitment is not enough. The support, training, and professional regard given to parents after they have begun the fostering task is of greater need. Based on analysis of the findings, implications for practice, programming, and policy are offered.
KW - Child abuse
KW - Foster care
KW - Foster parent retention
KW - Foster parents
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U2 - 10.1016/S0145-2134(98)00126-4
DO - 10.1016/S0145-2134(98)00126-4
M3 - Article
C2 - 10219947
AN - SCOPUS:0033014972
VL - 23
SP - 287
EP - 303
JO - Child Abuse and Neglect
JF - Child Abuse and Neglect
SN - 0145-2134
IS - 3
ER -