A qualitative exploration of the drivers for the transfer of foster children in Gauteng, South Africa

Nomlinda Mashiloane; Werner Nell; Elmien Truter

doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2023.106472

A qualitative exploration of the drivers for the transfer of foster children in Gauteng, South Africa

Child Abuse Negl. 2023 Dec:146:106472. doi: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2023.106472. Epub 2023 Sep 29.

Authors

Nomlinda Mashiloane¹, Werner Nell², Elmien Truter³

Affiliations

¹ South African Council of Social Service Profession (SACSSP) and the South African Association of Social Workers in Private Practice (SAASWIPP), South Africa.
² Faculty of Humanities, Optentia Research Entity, North-West University, Vanderbijlpark, South Africa. Electronic address: Werner.Nell@nwu.ac.za.
³ Faculty of Health Sciences, COMPRES Research Entity, North-West University, Vanderbijlpark, South Africa. Electronic address: Elmien.Truter@nwu.ac.za.

PMID: 37778284
DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2023.106472

Abstract

Background: Many children in South Africa are orphaned or subjected to maltreatment, leaving them in need of care and protection. Foster care is one form of alternative care for such children. Retention of foster parents, or foster care placement stability, is one of the many challenges related to foster care, globally and in South Africa. This instability can have an adverse impact on children, and although some research speaks to the problem, the experiences of South African role players regarding this problem have not been documented, to date. To improve foster care retention in South Africa, local, contextualized studies exploring the drivers of foster care placement instability are required.

Aim: The aim of this qualitative study was thus to explore designated social workers' (DSWs) and foster parents' experiences about the reasons prompting foster care transfers.

Participants and setting: A purposively selected sample of ten foster parents and ten DSWs in the Gauteng province of South Africa took part in the study.

Methods: A descriptive qualitative study was adopted as basis for this study, which entailed thematic analysis of 20 semi-structured interviews.

Results: It was found that children's behavioural problems, a shortage of resources, a lack of parenting skills, problematic relationships between foster parents and foster children, and previous traumatic events, led to most foster care transfers. A key finding from this study, which appears not to be evident in previous studies, centres on the critical role played by money, or rather its absence, in contributing to foster care placement instability.

Conclusions: When considered in conjunction with findings emerging from previous studies, our findings underscore the importance of obtaining a contextualized understanding of local, cultural factors at play in foster care delivery. To improve foster care retention in South Africa, which is fraught with challenges not yet reported elsewhere, it is recommended that screening procedures for foster parents be revised, and that allocation of resources to DSWs be prioritized.

Keywords: Child protection social worker; Foster care; Foster children; Qualitative research; Retention; Transfer.

MeSH terms

Child
Child Rearing
Child, Foster*
Foster Home Care
Humans
Parents
Qualitative Research
South Africa / epidemiology