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TRANSITIONS IN FOSTER CARE:
THE DEVELOPMENT OF T RAINING PROGRAMMES FOR FOST�R CARE WORKERS
VOLUME ONE
A thesis presented in partial
fu lfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Phil osophy at
Mas sey University
Rajen Prasad
1986
z
ii
ABSTRACT
This thesis set out to deve l o p training programmes for foster parents and s oci a l w orkers involved in the provision of foster care services, as a means to addressing the current crises in the fie ld. Studies both nati ona l ly and internationa l ly have been critica l of efforts by agencies to provide stab le p lacements t o chi ld ren wh o needed t o be re m o ved fr om thei r bi o l og i c a l p a r e n t s b u t , with s ome n otable exc e p t i on s , few have gone on to add r e s s re s p on s e s to the s e deficiencies in any systematic way.
The first e lement in the deve l o pment of these training programmes was to estab lish an e pistem o l ogy which w ou ld p r ovide a c o m p rehensive f r a mew o r k f or p r a c t i ce. Urie Bronfenbrenner's the ory of human devel o pment and Garbarino's empirica l research into environments which are detrimenta l t o chi ldren were br ought together with princi p les emerging from research into f oster care, t o deve l o p an eco logica l framework f or foster care.
The ec o l ogica l fra m ew o r k w a s then t r a n s l a t ed i n t o a t r a i ni ng method o l ogy by means of the Deve l o p menta l Research and Uti lization M ode l advanced by Thomas. This method o l ogy identified a series of ref e r e n c e p oi n t s a r ou n d which t h e t r a i n i n g p r o g r a mm e s we re constructed. These training programmes, which are set out in V o lume 2 of this dissertation, were then evaluated in agencies c oncerned with the provision of foster care services. Changes in perceptions about
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foster care, their method s of service de livery, increa s ed att ention to agency polici e s supporting effectiv e int erv enti on and de livery of foster care servic es w ere report ed. Greater empha si s on th e r o l e of bi o l ogic a l par ent s, ag enc y r e sp onsibility for a s s e s sing their need s and providing them with appropriate s ervic e s w er e high light ed. The direct impact of th e training pr ogramm e s on chi ldren, howev er, wa s beyond the scope of thi s thesis.
Fost er care is only one option to be considered wh en d et ermining th e m o s t suitab l e alt ernative for a chi l d. It can not b e tak en a s a superior or inferior form of care in compari son to others but is on ly appropriat e under certain circumstance s. An important element in the managem ent and d eve l op m ent of a s e ri e s of a lt ernative opti on s f or chi ldren requiring substitute chi ld care i s knowledge about the extent of curr ent pr ovi sion s and th eir div er s e f orm s. The th e si s a l s o reports on a limit ed survey of such faci liti e s and pr ogramm e s in N ew Zea land.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
A proj ect of this size is impossibl e to undertake and compl ete without the support and dedication of a large numb er of p e op l e. Ev en if I att empted to name th em a l l, some wi l l b e inadvert ent ly omitted. I hope I have already persona l l y ackn ow l e dged th eir support over th e years that this project has taken to comp l ete.
My supervis ors, �r of essor Graeme Fraser and Merv Hancock have had to cope with the idiosyncracies of an app lied thesis and have a lways been very supportive over the past few years. They hav e been instrumental in maintaining a ba lan c e b e tw e en th e r equir em ents of an acad emic environment and the rea lities of the socia l w ork task. Their positive out look has a l way s b e en a motivating inf l u en c e, esp ecia l l y during thos e moments wh en carefu lly considered p lans had to be changed. By its very nature, the thesis was volumin ou s and, ther efore, d emand e d more than the usual amount of reading time for drafts from both Gra eme and M erv. I am most gratefu l for their assistance.
Th e c ontrib ution of th e N ew Z ea land Foster Care Federation has been very significant. Their total commitment to impr oving th e standards of foster care provisions in New Zea land provided m e with an av enue to t e s t i d e a s and get c ritica l f e edback. Thr e e pr esid ents of t h e Federation, Jane Thompson, Bobby Duncan a n d Ji l l Worra l l, and th eir former Education Officer, Margaret Craig, have rea l ly spear headed the
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tra ining need s o f foster c a r e wor k e r s i n N e w Z e a l a n d a n d h a v e b e e n i n t i m at e l y i n v o l v e d w i t h the p r o j e c t s i n c e i t s i n c e p t ion . T h e i r guid ance , suppor t , feedb ack and chal lenges h a v e b e e n mo st h e l p fu l i n the d e v e l o p m e n t a n d e v a l uation stages o f the project . They have now be come the agents th rough wh i ch the tra i n i n g p r o g r a mm e s d e v e l o ped i n th is thes is a r e made avai l able t o t h e practice commun i t y .
I w i s h to a l s o r e co r d my appr e c i a t ion for the assist ance and support prov ided by my co lleagues in the Soc i a l Pol i c y and Soc i a l Hor k Unit at Massey Univers i t y . I am part i c ula r l y i n d e b t e d to E p h r a G a r r e t t for h e r c o n s t a n t e n c o u r a g e m e n t a n d to P r o fe s s o r I a n S h i r l e y fo r h i s personal support and guid ance . M y friends i n A s h h u r s t , p a r t i c u l a r l y C a t h e r i n e a n d P e t e r R ochester , who were v e r y support i ve of my family deserve a spec i a l vote o f thanks . I am a l so gratefu l to the Open Home Foundat ion and the Depar tment of Soc i a l Hel fare for prov id ing material assi st ance and venues for the p i lot test and e v a l uat ion stages of the project .
Fi n a l l y , some c o mm e n t s to those most import ant to me , my fam i l y . To our mothers , thanks for s i mpl y b e i n g ' mum s ' a n d u n d e r s t a n d i n g t h a t comp l e t i n g t h e p r o j e c t w a s i m po r t a n t . P r em , I n d r a and Pramen have l i v e d w i t h th i s p r o j e c t for a n u mb e r o f y e a r s . At one t i me t h e y s e r i o u s l y thou ght f o s ter fathers were better because the y spent more t ime with the i r childre n . The s a c r i fi ces they have made can never be r e p a i d , a n d i n t h a t , t h e c o m p l e t ion of this the s i s has extr acted an un fair p r i ce . However , I s impl y and i nadequat e l y say ' thank you ' and
v i hope that I can be more avai lable in the future .
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Ac knowledgements iv
Table of Con tent s v i i
L i st of Figures x i v
L i s t of Tables XV
L i s t o f Appendices x v i i
I NTRODUCTION
CHAPTER ONE : Emerging P r i nciples in Foster Care Research 1 1
Follow Up Studies 1 3
Cross-Sectional Studies 22
( a ) Instab i l ity o f Foster Home Placements 23 ( b ) The Place of B iolog ical Parents in
Foster Care 3 1
( c ) Di fferences i n Role Percept ions o f
Participants in Foster Care 39 ( d ) The Importance o f the F irst Year
o f Placement 44
( e ) Assessment of B io log ical Parents '
C i rcumstances 46
( f ) Soci oeconom ic Status and Ethn i c ity 50 Summary o f Cross-Sectional Stud i es 5 2 Crit i que o f Cross-Sect ion a l Studies 54
Lon g itudinal Stud ies 56
( a ) B io log ical Parents Sub-Study 57
( b ) Agency Investment 62
( c ) Characteri st i cs of Children 6 5 ( i ) Importance o f the F irst Year 66
CHAPTER TWO:
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(ii) Number o f Moves 67
(i i i ) P a rental Vi sit i ng 67 (iv ) Child ' s Per sona l Ad j ustmen t 68 Te sting Ideas : The Ne ed for Experimental Stu dies 72 Ex pe r i men t a l Studies
(a ) Case P l anning (b) Use o f Contracts (c ) Ser vice De l iver y Permanenc y P l a nn i ng Summa r y
( 1 ) Assessment
( 2) Biolog ical Parents ( 3) Role C l a r i ty
( 4) Phi losophy
( 5 ) Agency O r gan i zat ion
(6) Agency Ser v ice Footnotes
Towar ds a Theoretical Framework in Foster Care Eco log ical Perspect ive - A P r e l iminary
7 3 8 1 82 32
83 9 0 9 1 9 2 9 3 9 4 9 4 94 9 7
9 9
Statement 1 0 1
The Dev e lopment o f the Ecological Framework 1 0 2 The Con t r i b ut ion o f F ield Theor y - Kurt Lewin 1 0 3
The Kansas Schoo l 1 1 1
Dev elopment in Context - U r i e Bron fenbrenner 1 1 4 ( i ) D i rect Multi-setting P ar t icipat ion 1 20
( 1 1 ) I n d irect Links 1 20
( 1 1 1 ) Intersett ing Commun icat ions 1 2 1
( i v ) Intersetting Knowledge 1 2 1 Assessing R i sks - J ames Garba r i no 1 26
M icrosystem R i sks 1 26
Mesosystem R i sks 1 28
Exosystem R i sks 128
R i sks in the Macrosystem 1 29 An Ecolog i c a l Framework for Foster Care 1 32
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CHAPTE R THREE: Patterns o f Car ing :
A Map o f Substi tute Chi ld Care in New Zea land 1 4 2
The Stu d y 1 4 3
The Stages o f the Stu d y 1 4 4
(a ) Dev eloping a Dir ector y o f Fac i l i t i es 1 4 5
(b) Questionnaire Construct ion 1 4 5 (c ) Cond uct ing the Survey 1 4 7
(d ) Ana l ysis of data 1 4 8
Sur vey Find i n g s :
The Fac i l i t ies 1 4 8
Response Rate 1 5 3
Agency Ausp i ces
Boarding Schools 1 5 4
Non Boarding School Inst itut ions 1 55 Res ident i a l Institutions 1 5 6
Fam i l y Homes 1 5 7
Foster Homes 1 5 9
The Chi ldren in Subst i tute Child Care
Number 1 6 0
Gender 1 6 4
Age Structure 1 6 6
Ethn i c i t y 1 6 8
Long and Shor t Term Care 1 70 Geogr aphical Relat ionship Between
B iolog ical and Subst i tute Settings 1 73 Geogr aphical Patterns and Forms of Care 1 7 5
Summar y 1 7 8
Staffing
Staffing P atterns Gender
Roles Ethn i c i t y Summar y D i scuss ion
Footnotes
1 79 1 82 1 8 3 1 87 1 8 9 1 90
1 9 5
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CHA PTER FOUR : An Approach to Research in Applied Pro fessional
Fields 19 7
Cont empor a r y Research Dev elopments in Social
Wor k 1 9 8
Knowledge Production 1 9 9
Substantive Utilization 1 9 9
Methodological Utiliza tion 20 0
Deve lopmental Research 20 1
The Phases o f Deve lopmental Research 20 4 The Phases in Detail
An a l ysis 206
Problem Ana l ysis and Identification 207
State-of-the-Art-Rev iew 20 8
Feasibilit y 20 9
Selection of Technologic a l Obj ectives 209 Deve lopment
Knowledge Utilization Technological Transfer Va lue Realization Legal Interpretation Ex perientia l Synthesis Gathering and Eval uation o f
Technological Resour ces Designing o f Social Technology Technological Rea lization The Eval uation Phase
Trial Use
Col lection o f Eval uative Dat a Evaluation o f Social Technology Redesigning as Necessar y
Util izat ion Phase
Prepar ation and Dis semination of Diffusion Media
Adoption of the Product by Practit ioners
CHAPTER FIV E : Dev eloping the Training Programmes Ana l ysis Phase
Fiel d Interv iews
2 1 1 21 1 21 2 2 1 2 2 1 3 2 1 3 2 1 4 2 1 5 2 1 5 2 1 6 2 1 6 2 1 7 2 1 7 2 1 8 2 1 8 2 1 8 2 1 9
22 1 22 1 222
CHAPTER S I X :
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Tra i n i n g P rogr ammes 226
Feas i b i l i t y 229
Select ion of Technolog i c a l Ob j ectiv es 230 Se lect ion of Informat ion Source 23 1
Development Phase 2 3 2
Gathe r i n g and Evaluating Technological
Resources 232
Des i gn i n g the Tra ining P rogr ammes 2 3 3 Developing Con tent
P rogramme for Soc i a l Workers 235 Hol i stic Con cept ion o f Tran s i t i ons
in Pl acement 2 3 6
Assessment and Ser v ice De l i v e r y
to Biological Par ents 236
Integrat ed Agenc y Programme 237
Knowledge Base 238
Planning 2 3 8
Programme for Foster Par ents 239
The Foster Care Journey 239
The Foster Child 240
Biological Parents 24 1
Commun icat ion in Foster Care 242
The Agency 24 3
P l anning 24 3
Prototype o f the Training Progr ammes 245
Evaluation Phase 245
Trial Use 24 6
Col lect ion of Evaluative Dat a 247 Eval uation o f Soc i a l Technology 247
Redes igning 250
Footnotes 2 5 2
A P r e l imina r y E v a l uat ion o f the Progr amme 254
The Agency 2 55
Method s 2 5 5
Results - Programme for Soc i a l Wor ke rs Changes in Agency Programme
?re-Train ing Pos t-Tr aining
Soc i a l Wor kers Perceptions o f the Foster Parent Role
?re-Training Post-Training
Soc i a l Wor ke rs ' Ac t i v i ties w i th Foster Fam i l i es
?re-Train ing Post-Tra i n i n g
Soc i al Wor kers ' P er ceptions o f the i r Own Role
? re-Train ing Post-Tra i n i ng
Soc i a l Wor kers ' P er ceptions o f the Biolog ical Parent ' s Role
?re-Tra ining Pos t-Training
Soc i a l Wor ke rs ' Activit ies with Biolog ical Parents
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257 257 258
262 262
2 6 3 2 6 4
2 6 5 2 6 5
2 6 6 2 6 6
?re-Tra i n i ng 267
Pos t-Training �68
Contact Between Foster and Biological Fam i l i es
?re-Tra i n ing 270
Pos t-Training 270
Soc i a l Wor kers and the Planing P rocess
P re-Trai ning 270
Post-Training 27 1
Summary 272
Results - Foster Parent Course 2 7 3
Fo ster Parents Perceptions and
Expectat ions o f the Soc i al Wor k Role
?re-Tr aining 2 7 4
Post-Training 274
Course Members ' P er ceptions o f the Foster Parent Role
Pre-Training Post-Tra i ning
Foster Parents ' P er ceptions o f the Biological Parents ' Role
?re-Tra ining Post-Training
275 276 276 277
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Act i v i t i es Between Fos ter Parents and Biolog ical Parents
Pre-Training - Relat ionships 279
Post-Train ing 27 9
? re-Tra ining - Act ions when Biological Parents V i s i t 279
Pos t-Tr a i n i n g 2 8 0
? re-Tra i n i n g - Vi s i t ing P atterns 280
Post-train ing 2 8 0
Appreci at ion of Changes in the Foster Home
Pre-Tr a i n i n g 28 1
Post-Tr a i n i ng 28 1
Foster parents ' Understanding o f Their Involv ement in the Planning Process
?re-Training 2 8 3
Pos t-Tra i n i n g 284
Summary 2 8 5
Uti l i zat ion Phase 287
Preparat ion and D i sseminat ion of
D i f fu s ion Med i a 287
Adopt ion o f the Prod uct by Practiti oners 287
Footnotes 290
CHAPTER SEVEN: Summ ar y and Con cl usions 29 1
Appendices ( 1 - 1 1 )
The Adequacy o f the Eco log ical Framework 2 9 2
De velopmental Research and U t i l i zation Model 297
Futur e Research 300
30 3
Bibliogr aphy ( Append i x 1 2 ) 38 1
Append i x 1 3 3 9 9
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LIST OF FIGURES
Page
Chapter Two :
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Lewin ' s Conceptu alizat ion o f Infl uences on a Person ' s
Dev elopment 1 0 4
Essential Components o f Bron fenbrenner ' s Eco logy of
Human Dev e lopment 1 1 7
An Ecological Mod e l o f Foster Care Service Provision 1 36
Chapter Four :
Figure 1
Figure 2
Developmental Resear ch : A Mod el for Interventional Innovation
Sour ces of Basic Information , Their Particular Generation Process and Types o f Social Techno logy
205
2 1 4
Table 1
LIST OF TABLES
Nat ional Pattern of Substitute Child Care Fac i l i t ies
XV
P age
1 5 2 Table 2 Quest ionnaires Returned - Study Sample 1 5 4
Table 3 Auspices Governing Board ing School 1 5 5
Table 4 Ausp ices Govern ing Non-Board ing Schoo l Fac i l i ties 1 5 6 Table 5 Ausp ices Govern ing Res idential Institut ions 1 57
Table 6 Ausp ices Govern ing Fam i l y Homes 1 5 8
Table 7 Ausp i ces Govern ing Foster Care Progr ammes 1 5 9 Table 8 Total Number o f Chi ldren in Substitute Care ( 1 98 1 ) 1 6 1 Table 9 N umber o f State Wards Not in Direct Care of the
Depar tment of Soci al Wel fare ( 1 9 8 1 ) 1 6 3
Table 1 0 Relat i ve S i z e o f Agency Progr ammes 1 6 4
Table 1 1 Gender o f Chi ldren in Survey 1 6 5
Table 1 2 Age Structure o f Stu d y Chi ldren 1 6 6 Tab le 1 3 Age Structur e and Type of Care 1 67
Table 1 4 Ethn i c i t y o f Survey Children 1 69
Table 1 5 Ethn i c i t y o f Children and Type o f Care 1 70 Table 1 6 Chi ldren in Long and Short Term Care 1 72 Table 1 7 Locat ion o f Biological Home and Substitute Faci lity 1 74 Table 1 8 Locat ion o f Biological Home For Different Types
of Programmes 1 76
Table 1 9 Staff-Chi ldren Ratios by Progr amme Type 1 80 Table 20 Gender of Staff and Ratio o f Staff to Children 1 8 3
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P age
Ta ble 21 Compara t i ve D i s trib u t ion b y P rogramme Type 1 8 6 Table 22 E thn i c i ty o f D i r e c t Serv ice S t a f f b y Type o f F ac i l i t y 1 88 Table 23 Compara t i v e D i s tri b u t i on o f E thn i c i t y o f D irect
Serv i c e Workers and Ch ildren 1 89
L IST OF APPENDICES
Appe n d i x 1 Popula t ion for the Surv e y of Subst i tu t e Ch i l d
x v i i
P age
Care F ac i l i t i es 303
Appen d i x 2 Surv e y o f Subs t i t u t e Ch ild Care F a c i l i t i es 3 1 6
Append ix 3 I n i t i al Let t er for Survey 370
Appen d ix 4 R eply Form 37 3
Appen d i x 5 S e cond Let t er 374
Append ix 6 Third Lett er 375
Append i x 7 Support i ng Statemen t 376
Append i x 8 F o urth Let ter 377
App e n d i x 9 F irst F o l l o w Up Let t er 378
App e n d i x 1 0 Second Follow Up Letter 379
Append ix 1 1 F i n a l Fol lo w Up Let t er 380
Appe n d i x 1 2 B i b l i ography 38 1
Append i x 1 3 Pre-Trai n i ng a n d P o st-Tra i n i ng I n t erv i e w
Sche d ules 399
