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Perceptions of Long-Term Female Foster-Carers: I'm Not a Carer, I'm a Mother.
- Source :
- British Journal of Social Work; Sep2013, Vol. 43 Issue 6, p1056-1072, 17p, 1 Chart
- Publication Year :
- 2013
-
Abstract
- The need for foster-carers has significantly increased in recent decades as growing numbers of children are in need of out-of-home care. However, despite their importance to the foster-care system, the foster-carer role is imbued with ambiguity. The perceptions and expectations of the foster-carer role differ greatly between child protection workers, the children in foster-care, the wider community and foster-carers themselves. This paper seeks to provide insight and understanding of provision of long-term foster- care from the perspective of the female carer. The findings presented in this paper are drawn from a larger doctoral study that examined women's experiences of providing long-term foster-care in Australia. Analysis revealed participants did not perceive themselves as foster-carers, but rather viewed themselves as mothers to the long-term foster children in their care. This understanding has the potential to: inform both policy and practice in relation to long-term foster-care; provide useful recruitment information; and possibly serve to augment relations between child protection workers and women who provide long-term foster-care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 00453102
- Volume :
- 43
- Issue :
- 6
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- British Journal of Social Work
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 90571805
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcs047