Kinship foster care: Protection or risk?

Authors: Palacios, Jesús; Jiménez, Jesús M.

Source: Adoption & Fostering Journal, Volume 33, Number 3, Autumn 2009 , pp. 64-75(12)

Publisher: British Association for Adoption and Fostering

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Abstract:

The data reported in this article by Jesús Palacios and Jesús M Jiménez come from a study of foster care in Andalusia, southern Spain. In Andalusia, as in the rest of Spain, kinship care is far more frequent than non-relative foster care. The authors explore the differences between these two types of foster care arrangement in a number of areas: socio-demographic profiles; children's stimulation and patterns of rearing; stress, informal support and needs; formal support and relationships with child protection services; evaluation of the experiences of carers; contact between birth parents and children; and foster children's development and behavioural difficulties. Although, compared with non-relative care, there are some clear advantages to kinship foster care (eg placement at an early age and fewer transitions), there are also a number of risk factors in all areas studied that must be considered to avoid what should be a protective placement becoming a risk situation for both carers and children.

Keywords: FOSTER CARE; KINSHIP CARE; STRANGER CARE; RISK FACTORS; SPAIN

Document Type: Research article

Publication date: 2009-09-01

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