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Parents of children in long-term foster care need more support, says new report

21 September 2009

Parents of children in care play an important role in their lives but do not always get the information and support they need from social workers, foster carers and other professionals.

Researchers from the University of East Anglia have found that parents who are helped to overcome negative or angry feelings and receive regular information about their children’s progress are more likely to co-operate with social workers, and be supportive of the child and the placement.

Entitled Parenting while apart: the experience of parents of children growing up in foster care, the study shows the importance of working with parents at all stages in the fostering process, from before court through to the children leaving care. This will benefit both the parents and the children.

Parents who took part in the research found child protection procedures, particularly court proceedings, a very difficult and often distressing experience, even when they accepted that the child needed to be in care. Most felt abandoned after court proceedings had finished, as they felt social workers' attention shifted towards the child and the foster placement. Social workers in the study also said they felt parents needed more support than they were able to provide at this stressful time.

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Comments

1. Maxine says:

   Thanks for highlighting this often neglected issue. My niece is currently in foster care and my experience ( both as Reg 38 carer, family member and observer of how my sister, her birth mother is badly treated by the social worker) chimes with these findings.

2. Lisa says:

   My son has been in tempery foster care now for over a year and it was only supposed to be for 2 weeks restbite . We just resently found out that my son has adhd and also odd , and social servies are now saying we are not capable of looking after our son and want him to stay in longterm foster care . I am fighting though . As he was well looked after but , I did spoil him as he is my life of this world . Social servies though are for the foster carer and I have been badly treated by them . They have treated me and do treat me as if I am no longer my sons mother . What can I do ? . Please help as this is wrong , as my son does want to come home but he seems scared to say so . He is not the same little boy that he was .

3. Jemma, The Who Cares? Trust says:

   Hi Lisa, my name's Jemma and I work at The Who Cares? Trust. I'm sorry to hear about your situation, I would suggest that you contact the Family Rights Group for advice (www.frg.org.uk). Their freephone number is 0808 801 0366, and the line is open Monday to Friday 10am-3:30pm.

4. marie yakob says:

   this is for lisa i was in the same position as you.my 2 eldest children are in long term foster care and i had 2 adopted all because we had a flawed resedental assesement and the judge at the time said that we hadnt reached base one as he called it.wa happend to people having a fair trail as it says under the convention of human rights act article 6 everyone is intitled to a fair trail.we never had that its discusting the way ss treat people.we have got 2 children at home after completing a 2nd resedentail assesement some were else.my 2 who are in foster care no one will support us to get them back even tho we have done so well we both payed for 3 years of councilling ourselves and turned our lives around.am due to have a new baby in 3 weeks time and am still detirmend to fight and get my 2 children back from foster care.i wish you all the best hun and keep fighting.xxx

5. Zoe says:

   My 6yo daughter is in care and is in the process of being adopted. I have got a solicitor and attend court every 4 weeks for a review. The judge has suggested that i be re assesssed to see if she can come home because there has been alot of changes to my lifestyle since she was put into care 2 year ago. But my daughters legal rep doesnt agree with it and thinks that my daughter should still be adopted out. at the moment i see her once a month for 2 hours but if she is adopted ythen contact will be once a year by letter. I am proud of how much I have changed to get her back, just hope that the judge will see it too!

6. kerry says:

   My three year old son is in foster care through wiltshire council. He has been there for eight months and time is taking its toll, I have found the whole eight months extremely draining, and worrying, especially when i have been kept in the dark for so long, the communication is dreadful from all socialworkers and solicitors. My son was placed in to foster care when i was going through a tough time trying to cope as a single parent. I have recently been prescribed anti depressants due to the stress of this whole case. These people are basing their statements on the past and i find this extremely unfair as you cannot do anything about the past but everything to change the future.

7. Anonymous says:

   i have been through hell my two sons are in long term foster care for over a year now i dont know what to do just because they say im not putting my children first i love my sons so much and they have taken away my heart beat i want them back home im all alone now in a three bedroom house empty bedrooms i have a empty heart all i want is social services to see what a lovely home ive got see me as a person my problem was depression it was about me i still cared and loved my sons but they say im not ingageing with them i want to go back to court but solictors tell me i have tell the court what as changed since they are in care i am on anti depressants and taking a counselling cousrse studying postive parenting kept up with all contacts and reviews what else can i do to start proceedings to get my sons back? please help me my world is empty without them so is my home.

8. Jemma, The Who Cares? Trust says:

   Hi Elaine, my name's Jemma and I work at The Who Cares? Trust. I would suggest that you contact the Family Rights Group for advice (www.frg.org.uk). They are a charity that advises parents and other family members whose children are involved with children’s social care services. Their freephone number is 0808 801 0366, and the line is open Monday to Friday 10am-3:30pm.

9. kal says:

   i am so glad iam not alone in this for the last year i have felt alone but all these people in the same place as me my son was taken due to domestic abuse and a drink problem, so much has changed 4 me in this year iam 1 week away from a year sober have a new home and am stronger in my self but yet again thy are looking at past history which is not relavant to now.

10. lucy says:

    my 3 children have been put in foster care due to our past we have been doin so much to try and get them back we are due back in court in september we have had so many good reports about us but 1 report said he dont think we should have our kids back and social sevices are using this againts us we only meet with him 1 time and he has made some mad report witch dont match what anyone els has said about us now they are tring to take my unbourne child i feel helpless this is killing me i miss my kids so much and im a good mum we cant change the past but we have done so much to change the future and no one will listern

11. sadie says:

    i had to agree for my 1yr old daughter to be put into foster care or social services said that thay would take court action due to my ex husband beating me and smashing my house.. she's been in there for 2wks now and i miss her so much! thay are meant to be there to help you and support you...but i dont see that happening! how long can thay keep a child in care? i think it messes their little heads up even more when their not with people thay know!