Foster Parent Strategies to Support the Functional Adaptation of Foster Youth

Abstract

Individual interviews and focus groups with 35 experienced foster parents explored strategies that facilitate the functional adaptation of children transitioning into their care. Findings from this qualitative study suggest functional adaptation is enhanced by unconditional commitment by foster parents, "claiming" behaviors of foster children and parents, establishment of routines, support of birth family relationships, and advocacy for the youth across systems. Implications of this study support the vital role that foster parents have in helping children adapt to placement, and indicate that agencies can provide increased support for foster parents to better meet the needs of foster youth. ARTICLE HISTORY

Foster home integration as a temporal indicator of relational well-being

“…Children go through a period of adjustment and adaptation before stabilizing and integrating into their foster homes (Rauktis, et. al., 2005; Semanchin Jones, Rittner, & Affronti, 2016), and longitudinal research designs allow researchers to consider the effects of time while children and families navigate foster care specific developmental processes. In addition, the availability of youth, caregiver, and caseworker reported measures now allow the potential to employ multiple-method, multiple indicator measurement approaches (Chamberlain & Bank, 1989) to better illuminate family processes and patterns of interaction that promote the relational well-being of youth in substitute care.…”

“…Relational well-being in foster family settings have been operationalized a number of ways, including foster home adjustment (Affronti, Rittner, & Semanchin-Jones, 2015), foster home adaptation (Dunn, Culhane, & Taussig, 2010; Semanchin-Jones, Rittner, & Affronti, 2016), foster home integration (Leathers, 2002; 2006), positive home integration (Authors, 2016a), and child-caregiver therapeutic alliance (Rauktis, De Andrade, Doucette, McDonough, & Reinhart, 2005). These characterizations illuminate the processes occurring within foster family systems that promote successful adjustment and adaptation (Affronti, Rittner, and Semanchin-Jones, 2015; Semanchin-Jones, Rittner, & Affronti, 2016), identify factors which contribute to the development of therapeutic alliance between children and their caregivers (Rauktis, et.…”

“…These characterizations illuminate the processes occurring within foster family systems that promote successful adjustment and adaptation (Affronti, Rittner, and Semanchin-Jones, 2015; Semanchin-Jones, Rittner, & Affronti, 2016), identify factors which contribute to the development of therapeutic alliance between children and their caregivers (Rauktis, et. al., 2005), and examine associations between youth-foster family relationships and other important dimensions of child welfare practice including child behavior (Leathers, 2002; Leathers, Spielfogel, Gleeson, & Rolock, 2012) placement stability (Authors, 2016b; Leathers, 2006) and permanency (e.g., adoption) (Leathers, Spielfogel, Gleeson, & Rolock, 2012).…”

“…Semanchin Jones, Rittner, & Affronti (2016) conducted semi-structured interviews and focus groups with 35 experienced foster parents to explore the strategies caregivers used to help children adapt to their placement into care. The authors found that a youth’s transition into care involved youth experiencing a “settling-in” period, and how long it took a youth to feel integrated into the family varied according to the child’s previous family and foster care experiences.…”

“…The available research on relational well-being for youth in foster care suggest inclusive family processes are important to youths successful adjustment and adaptation (Affront, Ritner, & Jones, 2015; Semanchin Jones, Rittner, & Affronti, 2016), and restrictive rules and policies can hamper developmental opportunities for older youth (Rauktis, et. al., 2011).…”