How do former foster children perceive their experiences affected their lives?

Caryn Timmons, Purdue University

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine how former foster children believed their experiences while in foster care affected their personal lives. Ten interviews were conducted with adults who were in the foster care system as children to determine how they perceived their experiences affecting their life outcomes. Content analysis reveals that whether the people said they had a bad or a good experience, they thought that the experience of being in care prepared them for adult life, by providing a unique perspective, giving them strength and providing skills to survive. This was particularly true for those who remember their birth families and, recognized that without foster care (i.e. if they had remained with their birth family) they would not have been as successful in life. Findings indicate that people's perception of their foster care experience as positive and supportive or negative and unsupportive effected how prepared they felt for life and their life course, particularly in terms of decision making skills. Participants in this study who had negative and unsupportive foster families were more conscientious and careful about the decisions they make due to their inability to trust others. The research sheds light on how the adults believe foster care impacted their lives with particular attention to the quality of foster homes. Findings indicate that people's perceptions of the foster care experience left them very prepared for adulthood or did not prepare them at all. Some people felt that the treatment received forced them to gain independence, not as a result of guidance but by the lack thereof. As social workers look to improve the outcomes of children in foster care it is important to know what those who experienced care perceive as important to their ability to contribute to society and function as adults. The perceptions of the individuals actually experiencing the "system" should be considered when making decisions regarding policy or practices for child welfare. Having this information can be crucial to determining ways to improve the experiences and lead to positive outcomes. The child welfare agencies should also use the information to improve the information given to foster parents as a way of helping them prepare the children according to their developmental and cultural needs.

Degree

M.S.

Advisors

Sweeney, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Behavioral psychology|Personality psychology

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