Issues in Foster Care: Policy, Practice and Research - Softcover

[It] make[s] valuable contributions to the debates surrounding fostering policy and practice as well as to the evidence base of foster care. ... Personally my favourite contribution was the chapter by Gilligan on promoting resilience in children in foster care. I found this chapter theoretically and practically particularly valuable. It was moving in its focus on maximising the potential for survival in children by the building on protective factors. The chapter will be of benefit for carers as well as practitioners and is written in a humane and accessible fashion. -- British Journal of Social Work The eclectic flavour of the book ensures that there will be something of interest to foster carers, child care workers and policy makers as well as students and academics. ... This book is a useful reminder for those working in the field of many of the issues in foster care. It is also a sound background book for students or academics new to this area of work. -- Children and Society It is good to read a book that is about current practice issues that presents very complex situations in a clear, but not simplistic, manner. The book should be in every children and families team bookshelf and required reading for those working with all the partners in a fostering situation. -- Rostrum In spite of the predominance of foster care in the looked after system, there has been only a limited amount of recent research in this area and few dedicated publications. This volume is therefore to be welcomed. Edited by two experienced child-care academics who are in close touch with practice, the approach is generally accessible and the chapters cover a good range of issues... This is an important and useful contribution to the foster care literature and will be consulted by students, practitioners and academics alike. -- Child Abuse Review

Issues in Foster Care: Policy, Practice and Research assesses the current state of foster care, the pressures which have shaped it and the challenges it faces. Arguing the importance of fostering within a coherent child care policy, the contributors examine the latest research into the delivery and support of foster care, and explore how these can be improved. Topics covered include: measuring outcomes in foster care and what can be learned from them the reasons for the growth of foster care at the expense of residential care supporting young people making the transition from care to adulthood how children can be helped to develop their natural resilience the use of solution focused brief therapy to solve foster placement breakdown managing the behaviour of children in foster care dealing with abuse and accusations of abuse kinship or relative care as an alternative form of foster care. As an analysis of what is currently happening within foster care, and of how it may develop in the future, Issues in Foster Care will be extremely valuable for all those involved in foster care, child care and policy-making.