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The experience of foster care: relationship between foster parent disciplinary approaches and aggression in a sample of young foster children.

The relationship between disciplinary practices of 70 foster parents (kin and nonkin) and aggression in their 8-year-old foster children was examined. Aggressive behavior was assessed through child and foster parent reports, whereas disciplinary behavior was examined by asking foster parents how they would typically respond to five child misbehaviors. Kinship foster parents (64.8%) were significantly more likely than nonkinship foster parents (30.2%) to report that they would use harsh discipline (p < .01). No significant relationship was found between foster parent reports of child aggression and their reports of disciplinary behavior. However, foster parents who reported they would use harsher discipline were more likely to have children in their care who generated multiple aggressive solutions to social problems (odds ratio = 2.7, p < .01). The evidence suggesting that the disciplinary practices of foster parents may influence children's social aggression is discussed in relation to future research, policy, and interventions.

Aggression↗

Differences between foster care and adoption: perceptions of adopted foster children and adoptive foster parents.

Foster parents who were once discouraged from adopting children placed in their care are now encouraged to do so. This has changed practice in both foster care and adoption, and has blurred the distinctions between the two services. The author discusses how foster care and adoption are viewed by adoptive parents and children, and draws implications for permanency planning from their perceptions.

Adolescent↗

A model for successful foster child-foster parent relationships.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to explore successful relationships between foster children and foster parents. METHODS: Dyads of exemplary foster parents and foster children, identified by foster care experts, were interviewed to uncover the meaning of human bonding and attachment between the foster child and foster parent. Data were collected and analyzed with use of Colazzi's phenomenologic methodology. RESULTS: A sense of family/coming home was most important for both foster children and foster parents. The powerful desire of the foster child to attain family membership emerged from their experiences, both in and out of foster care. DISCUSSION: The combination of a caring foster parent who worked patiently with the child to help him or her establish membership and a foster child who not only recognized caring behaviors but also was willing to respond to them created the foundation for a successful relationship.

Adult↗

Predictors of foster parents' satisfaction and intent to continue to foster.

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.

Adult↗

Breed effects of foster lamb and foster dam on lamb viability and growth.

The objective of this study was to compare maternal ability under natural and fostered rearing conditions in four breeds of sheep for lamb survival and growth to weaning age. Data included records from 1981 through 1991 of 24,696 lambs of four breeds, Rambouillet, Columbia, Targhee, and Polypay, reared by their natural dam, and 720 records of lambs fostered within their breed or across breeds. The majority (94%) of the foster lambs were from multiple-birth litters and were approximately .5 kg lighter than lambs reared by their natural dams (P < .05). Viability up to 3 wk of age was influenced by breed of foster dam; lambs reared by Polypay dams had the highest viability (96%) and lambs reared by Targhee dams the lowest (81%). Targhee dams were less successful in rearing foster lambs (75%) to weaning than the other breeds studied (average 84%). The lower viability of Targhee-reared foster lambs could not be explained by lower birth weights of foster lambs, increased starvation, or lower milk scores for Targhee dams. Although there were breed differences in weaning weights at 120 d of age, the foster lambs were lighter but the ranking by breed did not change. These results suggest that there are small breed differences in maternal ability for a ewe to raise her own lamb or foster lamb(s), except for the Targhee ewe, which has a lower success in rearing a foster lamb. Management practices to reduce the mortality rate of foster lambs should be investigated.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aging↗

Fostering health in the foster care maze.

The fastest growing population of children in foster care today is quite young, and many of these children have significant health care needs. The General Accounting Office (GAO) reported that children in foster care "are among the most vulnerable individuals in the welfare population" (GAO, 1995, p. 1). Poverty, increased homelessness, substance abuse, and a rise in the incidence of persons with HIV all contribute to the problems faced by these children. The Caring Communities for Children in Foster Care Project, funded by the Maternal Child Health Bureau Integrated Services Medical Home Initiative with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), investigated the availability of comprehensive health care services for children in foster care. The AAP recommends that pediatricians serve as the primary health care provider for children in foster care and also as consultants to child welfare agencies. Pediatric nurses play a crucial role in providing health care services to children in foster care. With an increased understanding of the potential physical and mental health care needs of children in foster care and the important role of foster parents, pediatric nurses can increase the likelihood of positive health outcomes for children in foster care.

Adult↗

The effects of a health newsletter for foster parents on their perceptions of the behavior and development of foster children.

Foster children have a high prevalence of medical, emotional, development, and behavioral problems originating both with events leading up to placement and as a consequence of the placement itself. Foster parents are often inadequately trained to understand and help with these difficulties. This may result in the persistence or aggravation of problems, and thereby increase the risk of placement failure. Because of the high demands on foster parents, any such training that is offered may be poorly attended. Methods to better inform these parents delivered in their own home may be more practical and better accepted. Parents at Heart is a quarterly health newsletter mailed to foster parents that deals with topics relevant to foster children. A questionnaire administered before the first issue determined some characteristics of these parents and ascertained their attitudes about a series of child development situations and behavior problems. A questionnaire after the fourth issue of Parents at Hear showed that many of these attitudes were influenced by the material in the newsletter.

Adult↗

Advocacy for foster families in the United States facing child abuse allegations: how social agencies and foster parents are responding to the problem.

Response to a 1989 national survey in the United States revealed pioneer efforts of a few state foster care agencies and foster parent associations to assist foster parents facing child maltreatment allegations. Most agency policies and procedures, however, reflect little awareness or understanding of the issue for foster parents; prescribe abrupt and potentially deleterious action; omit important foci; and appear to be strongly influenced by considerations of agency legal liability. Specific changes are recommended in recognition of the issue; revision of policy and procedures governing agency response to maltreatment reports against foster homes; and development, evaluation, and dissemination of more constructive response models.

Child↗

The foster care clinic: a community program to identify treatment needs of children in foster care.

A community-based multiagency and multidisciplinary clinic was developed to perform comprehensive evaluations of preschool children in foster care. One hundred thirteen children, ages 1 month to 6 years old, were seen during the first 2 years. Forty-seven percent of the children were known to the social service agency from birth; however, the mean age at placement was 19 months. Fifty-seven percent of the children were in their first foster home at the time of their initial evaluation, but 17% has already been placed in three or more homes. Behavioral problems were found in 39% of the children, and chronic medical problems in 35%. Sixty-one percent of the children were delayed in one or more portions of the developmental assessment. Developmental delay was associated with older age. Sixty percent of the children with developmental delays were not involved in any community educational or therapeutic program, although they had been in foster care for a mean of 6 months. Because of the high mobility of this population, continuity of care by social workers, foster parents, and physicians is hard to achieve. The evaluation model developed by the clinic appears to facilitate the identification of children in need of additional services, enhances cooperation between various community agencies, and provides a constant site for monitoring the status and progress of children in foster care.

Child Abuse↗

The foster care system and health status of foster children.

The foster home care system is the most commonly used alternative for the care of dependent children in the United States. However, it often fails to achieve its objective of returning the child to his home or providing a permanent substitute family. Children entering foster care have frequently suffered social, emotional, and medical neglect, and physical abuse. They have a high rate of chronic medical problems, educational handicaps, and severe emotional impairment. In many cases the health care that foster children receive fails to recognize and/or adequately address their disabilities. In order for the pediatric practitioner to work successfully with a foster child, he must not only provide comprehensive health care, but also must be familiar with the social welfare system within which the child lives.

Adolescent↗

Effects of anesthetics and foster mother experience on survival rate of cesarean derived, foster suckled rat pups.

Pregnant rats were anesthetized with carbon dioxide or a ketamine/xylazine combination prior to euthanasia and cesarean section. Another group of pregnant rats was allowed to deliver their litters normally. Litters from all groups were placed with experienced or inexperienced foster mothers. There did not appear to be any significant difference in survival rates of pups fostered to experienced mothers when comparing the three groups. Survival rates for pups fostered to inexperienced mothers were lower than those for pups fostered to experienced mothers.

Anesthesia↗

Foster children and the foster care system, Part II: Impact on the child.

These three programs represent efforts to solve some of the common clinical problems encountered in the care of foster children. Building on existing community resources, they create new services tailored to the specific needs of the individuals. Together, they form a continuum of services for foster and natural families; as children are identified in the Foster Care Clinic, they are referred for help to community service providers. Supporting visitation through the FRP can smooth the child's adjustment to placement and facilitate eventual return home or another permanent plan. The information from each program complements the other, and a rich and very valuable picture of the children which emerges can assist the agency and the court to make decisions based on assessments of the individual strengths and needs of the children and their families. The medical passport provides a critical link between the agency and physicians to ensure that the children receive the highest standard of health care possible.

Adolescent↗

Probation foster care as an outcome for children exiting child welfare foster care.

Little research has been done to help us understand what happens to children who exit child welfare foster care for reasons other than emancipation. Almost no research exists to help us understand out-of-home placement supervised by other providers of children's social services such as juvenile probation or mental health. This study examined school-age children who entered out-of-home placement supervised by probation departments after they left child welfare foster or group care. Instability in child welfare placements significantly increased the risk of a transition to probation foster care. Among the children exiting child welfare placements, those who had entered their first spell in care at ages 12 through 14 or were first removed because of sexual abuse or neglect were at greater risk of probation out-of-home placement. Implications for social work policy and services are discussed.

Adolescent↗

Fostering homeless children and their parents too: the emergence of whole-family foster care.

Children should not be placed in out-of-home care simply because their families lack the means to provide for their basic needs, yet this practice continues nationwide. A new program based in St. Paul, MN, gives county social service departments the placement option of whole-family foster care. The target population is adult parents and minor children without stable residences, where the children are at risk of placement in out-of-home care. Although the parents and children may have special needs, there are no safety risks that would necessitate separating children and parents. The program's design is described and policy questions discussed.

Adolescent↗

[Blood pressure increase in foster mothers in ISIAH and Wistar rats: effect of reciprocal cross-fostering].

Maternal arterial blood pressure (ABP) of hypertensive (ISIAH) and normotensive (Wistar) rats rearing their natural litter or litter of opposite strain, was assessed when the pups were 1.5-, 3- and 4-month old and compared with the ABP of these rats prior to their mating. The ABP was increased in both breeds of rat strains for either cross-fostered or infostered pups. No ABP changes were observed in control rats.

Animals↗