Foster Care Research

Vânia S. Pinto, PhD student, InED, REES Centre, Department of Education, University of Oxford, England    As part of the alternative placement process, foster carers play an important role by contributing to the integration of looked after children into a family environment, and promoting their wellbeing and development. The main aim of this research project is to understand which are […]

Teresa Díaz-Tártalo, Researcher, Universidad CEU San Pablo,  Spain  Nuria Fuentes-Peláez, Researcher, Universidad de Barcelona, Spain  Anna  Garriga-Alsina, Researcher, Universidad Pompeu-Fabra, Spain      The object of this study is to help all those involved in the process (foster families, children, biological families and professionals) by facilitating the detection of maladjustment which could cause future disruptions in these foster placements. The study provides models of investigation which allow […]

Eavan Brady, PhD student, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland  Research related to care (e.g. leaving care, education of children in care) has been criticised for paying insufficient attention to theory (Berridge, 2007; 2012; Brodie, 2009; Stein, 2006). This presentation seeks to outline why the life course approach is an effective theoretical framework for exploring the experiences and challenges faced by […]

Marco Chistolini, Researcher, Psychotherapist and trainer, Italy  Giorgia Salvadori, Researcher, Fondazione Paideia onlus, Italy  In the Italian legislative system foster care is regulated as a temporary intervention: the expected maximum length is 24 months, that can be extended when necessary. Practice is different: 60% of foster care placements are longer than 2 years and children could stay in a foster family until they […]

Lisa Holmes, Researcher, Loughborough University, United Kingdom  Claire Baker, Researcher, Loughborough University, United Kingdom  Helen Trivedi, Researcher, Loughborough University, United Kingdom     This presentation will draw on a series of recently completed empirical studies focused on children in out of home care in the UK. A specific focus will be placed on the findings about children’s experience of foster care, their relationships within the fostering household and the […]

Mathilde Turcotte, Researcher, Institut universitaire du Centre jeunesse de Québec, Canada  François  Fenchel, Researcher, Université Laval, Canada  Nadine  Lanctôt, Researcher, Université de Sherbrooke, Canada  Denis  Lafortune, Researcher Université de Montréal, Canada  In Canada, seven provinces have provisions under which an adolescent can be placed in so-called “secure care” or “secure treatment” under the Child Protection Act, if he or she caused or attempted to cause serious bodily harm […]

Sophie Hébert, Researcher, Centre jeunesse de Montréal, CANADA Nadine Lanctôt, Researcher, Université de Sherbrooke, CANADA  Mathilde Turcotte, Researcher, Université Laval, CANADA A considerable proportion of all children placed outside the home experience unstable placement patterns. From the perspective of child well-being, it is important to understand the psychological shifts experienced by foster children who are following an unstable placement pattern (Unrau et al., 2010; Tremblay […]

Eeva Timonen-Kallio, Researcher, University of Eastern Finland, Finland  Juha Hämäläinen, Researcher, University of Eastern Finland, Finland  Eila Laukkanen, Researcher, University of Eastern Finland and  Chief Department of Adolescent Psychiatry University Hospital of Kuopio Finland       Many children taken into care tend to be in need of psychiatric treatment as well as child protection services, and thus the professional expertise of both systems must be coordinated in their care. […]

Valérie Parent, PhD student, Université de Montréal, Canada  Sarah-Louise Fraser, Researcher, Université de Montréal, Canada        This presentation will share results from a qualitative research held in two residential care settings of Montreal, Canada among youths and interveners. In fact, Constitutional Law of Canada mandates the provinces to implement a system to protect youths when their development or security is compromised. In Quebec, to […]

Pascal Rudin, PhD student, University of Edinburgh, Switzerland  Literature highlights that the prevalence of mental health diagnoses amongst foster children is significantly higher than in the general population of children (McMillenet al. 2005; Schmid et al. 2008). Amongst all these diagnoses, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common to be found (Abraham, 2010). Although non-pharmacological […]