Cardiff Metropolitan University

Prifysgol Fetropolitan Caerdydd

B.Sc. (Hons) Psychology

Final Year Project

Unheard Voices: The Views and Experiences of Foster Carer’s

Own Children

Phillip Thomas Smith

2013

Dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the

requirements of Cardiff Metropolitan University for the

degree of Bachelor of Science

DECLARATION

I hereby declare that this dissertation is the result of my own independent

investigation under the supervision of my tutor. The various sources to which I

am indebted are clearly indicated. This dissertation has not been accepted in

substance for any other degree, and is not being submitted concurrently for

any other degree.

.................................................................... Phillip Thomas Smith, Candidate

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would first and foremost like to thank my supervisor Dr Dan Heggs, whose

help and guidance throughout my final year has made this project a rewarding

undertaking.

An especially big thanks to my friends, whose advice and continuous proof

reading gave me the confidence to keep writing when I felt I couldn’t do so

any longer.

A special thanks to my mother, who as a foster carer gave valuable insight

into the formulation of this project.

Finally I would like to thank those who participated in this project for sharing

with me their personal experiences, without which this project would not have

been possible.

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ABSTRACT

Background

In the UK it has been reported that as many as 87,000 children and young

people were cared for by the Local Authorities on any given day (Sutton and

Stack, 2012). With an increasing demand to ensure that foster care is

provided for those who need it most, there is an even greater demand for

research to further understand the unique context of the fostering experience.

The work of Younes and Harp (2007) highlight that the voices of the foster

carer’s own children are often unheard despite the valid contribution they give

to the fostering experience. This finding is surprising; as a reason commonly

cited for quitting foster care is the affect it may have on the foster carer’s own

children (Farmer et al., 2004; Twigg and Swan, 2007).

Aim

The aim of this study is to explore the views and experiences of foster carer’s

own children, in relation to how they cope with and manage the challenges

throughout the fostering experience.

Method

A qualitative design of semi-structured interviews was used to obtain data.

Interviews were conducted with six individuals whose parents had fostered for

a period of at least one year during which they were living at home. Data was

analysed using Thematic Analysis.

Results

Four themes were uncovered from the data: ‘Family Dynamics: Age,

Agreement and Management’, ‘Positive Experiences vs. Negative

Experiences’, ‘Empathy’ and ‘Placement Endings’.

Conclusion

The dynamics of the fostering household was found to be the strongest

influence in terms of how the children of foster carers approach and manage

the fostering experience. They recognised the potential conflict between both

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positive and negative issues when living with foster children; however they

displayed a strong empathetic frame of mind towards their foster siblings,

own siblings and parents. Placement endings were found to be the most

difficult period within the fostering experience during which foster carer’s

children experienced emotions such as sadness and guilt. Future research

should explore these issues further in relation to their effect on the children of

foster carers.

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Table of Contents

Declaration………………………………………………………………...

Acknowledgments…………………………………………………………

Abstract……………………………………………………………………..

Table Contents……………………………………………………………..

1. Introduction

1.1 Overview

1.2 Focus of Previous Literature

1.3

4

5

Chapter 1: Introduction

1.1 Overview

In 2000 it was reported that approximately 33,000 ‘looked after’ children were

living in foster homes (Wilson et al., 2000) throughout the UK. However, it has

recently been reported that as many as 87,000 children and adolescents are

cared for by the Local Authorities on any given day (Sutton and Stack, 2012).

Children and young people enter the care system for a variety of reasons

including family breakdowns, neglect, or serious abuse; it is the duty of the

foster carer to build secure relationships with vulnerable children through an

ever-changing system. With these statistics having doubled over the last

decade, it is increasingly imperative that fostering continues to be a priority in

psychological research.

The Department of Education’s Green Paper (Department of Education, 2003)

‘Every Child Matters’ summarises the importance of a family upbringing for

every child; a safe and nurturing environment where they are attached

securely to their caregivers. It is the failure of this stable environment which

often leads children to enter the foster care system. It is widely assumed that

foster families are the best form of care as they provide an ‘integral

contribution to a child’s health growth and development’ (Twigg and Swan,

2007, p. 49). Foster children benefit greatly from this arrangement and the

structure of ‘everyday life’ provides an element of normality absent from other

forms of care (Anderson, 1999; Sinclair et al., 2001; Höjer, 2007).

With an increasing demand to ensure that foster care is provided for those

who need it most, there is an even greater need for research to further

understand the unique context of the fostering experience, particularly from

the point of view of the children involved. Berrick et al., (2000) argues that

children are:

“…the primary clients for the welfare system, yet their voices are muffled by

an array of difficult impediments…” (p.127).

Despite their importance, the children’s views and thoughts are often unheard

despite their centrality to the system. However Younes and Harp (2007)

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strongly argue that the voices of the foster carer’s own children are often

unheard, despite their direct involvement and valid contribution they bring to

the fostering experience.

1.2 Focus of Previous Research

Contemporary research focuses mainly on the experiences of the foster

parents (Staines et al., 2011) and foster children (Selwyn et al., 2010), with

little attention paid to the needs and experiences of the foster carer’s own

children. However, a link has been established between the presence of foster

carer’s own children and the failure of fostering placements in previous

research (Farmer et al., 2004; Sutton and Stack, 2012). Despite the

significance of these findings, the children of foster carer’s still remain largely

‘invisible’ and research has paid little attention to the way in which they

respond to and manage the fostering experience (Younes and Harp, 2007).

Additionally, little research has focused on the role they play in terms of

placement success or demise (Walsh and Campbell, 2009).

This is surprising, as one of the reasons commonly cited as a foster carer’s

decision to resign is the effect it may have on their own children (Twigg, 1994;

Triseliotis et al., 2002; Farmer et al., 2004; Twigg and Swan, 2007). A study of

foster parents who had quit or were choosing to quit indicated that 36% chose

to do so due to the problematic behaviour of the fostered children (Rhodes et

al., 2001); this was attributed to inadequate training which did not prepare

parents for the effect that fostering would have on their own children.

Although a small number of studies have previously addressed these issues

in (Parker, 1966; George 1970; Fanshell and Shinn, 1978), they are largely

outdated. Consequently they are not reliable enough to support current

research, as the dynamics of the fostering experience have developed

considerably over the passing decades. More recent research as summarised

by Sutton and Stack (2012) has identified a number of potential ‘stressors’

which foster carer’s own children may encounter, however they are largely

sources of prospective stress with little attention paid to how they manage

them.

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1.3 Transition to Fostering

Literature in this area identifies the ‘settling in’ period, when the foster children

first arrive at the family home, as a challenging experience for foster carer’s

children. They may become particularly stressed as they compete with the

fostered children for their parent’s attention and as a result they can feel

overlooked (Twigg, 1994).

Younes and Harp (2007) suggest the presence of foster children influences a

process of readjustment, whereby a relationship change occurs between the

foster parents and their children. This can often result in feelings of anger,

resentment and jealousy as the foster carer’s children renegotiate their role

within their household. One possible explanation for these negative emotions

is ‘separation anxiety’ as the foster carer’s children compete for their parent’s

attention (Kaplan, 1988) however this hypothesis has not been explored

further. Younes and Harp also argue that while the foster carer’s children may

initially experience negative emotions, they eventually become used to their

‘new siblings’.

These negative emotions are attributed largely to time and energy of the

foster parents being devoted to the needs of the foster children (Höjer, 2004);

which can often lead to feelings of guilt by the foster carer’s children as they

may feel pressured to accept their new siblings (Höjer, 2007). Sutton and

Stack (2012) cite, based on the work of Capara and Steca (2005), that

children of foster carer’s are able to overcome the potential difficulties of the

transition period by having a positive frame of mind, and this eased the

process of integrating the fostered children into their homes.

1.4 Loss of Parental Attention

Loss of parental attention does not appear to be exclusive to the transition

period, some children of foster carers regard this issue as continuous

disruption, and while they felt it was necessary for their parents to meet the

needs of the fostered children they reported feelings of jealousy and

resentment (Watson and Jones, 2002).

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This is something which they felt they could not always share with their

parents and they express feelings of shame and guilt for being unhappy

(Twigg, 1993; Swan, 2000; Nuske, 2006). They justify this by recognising the

meaning of their parents work and feel that they understood the importance of

the fostering task Swan (2000).

While children of foster carers may regard loss of parental attention as

‘disruption’, a more significant finding suggests that they mature quickly as a

result of exposure to the fostering context (Department of Health, 1995; Pugh,

1996; Nuske, 2004; Twigg and Swan, 2007). It can be argued that this is a

response to having foster children living in their home, and as a result they

develop a level of maturity sufficient enough to assume a caring role for their

younger foster sibling.

According to Twigg and Swan (2007), quicker maturation can be attributed to

their loss of parental attention, and so they develop quickly in order to become

more independent and look after themselves. Through this observation, early

maturation may not be an exclusive negative issue, as some children of foster

carers felt that this contributed to their identity and helped them to find ‘who

they were’ (Twigg and Swan, 2007).

Despite the aforementioned arguments, it is unclear whether it is the result of

adaptive or maladaptive functioning as proposed by Pugh (1996) who

attributes this increased maturity to a ‘loss of innocence’. This raises the

question of whether the benefits of quicker maturity are outweighed by the

issues which influence it in the first place.

1.5 Age and Gender

A small body of research indicates that age plays an important role in terms of

how the foster carer’s children approach and manage the fostering

experience; however this factor has not been adequately explored in previous

literature. Pugh (1996) found that younger children aged between seven and

thirteen experience the most difficulty in adjusting to the fostering experience.

Additionally, Berridge and Cleaver (1987) argue that the age of foster carer’s

own children and the fostered children is linked to placement stability. While

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they did not present evidence for an appropriate age outline, they recommend

that an age gap of a few years can help to make placements more successful.

Kelly (2000) suggests that the closer the fostered children and foster carer’s

children are in age, the more likely conflict will occur between them. Sutton

and Stack (2012) attribute this conflict to the vulnerability of the foster carer’s

children, and suggest that an appropriate age gap may act as a protective

barrier through which the children of foster carers can maintain their own

personal space. In terms of age and maturity, the protective age gap may also

provide relief for the foster carer’s children (Höjer and Nordenfors, 2004).

Sutton and Stack (2012) found that the age of the foster carer’s children in

relation to the age of the fostered children may be a crucial component of their

own identity. They argue that the children of foster carers being the oldest

child of the family means that they were the most able child in the family; this

in turn contributes to their perception of themselves as caregivers as opposed

to being on ‘equal level’ with the fostered children. Additionally they explain

that this gives the children of foster carer’s a sense of purpose where they

play an active role in terms of improving the lives of the fostered children. It

can be argued therefore, that being older than the fostered children gives the

children of foster carers a stronger sense of purpose, in turn this aids their

willingness to be part of a progressive and sustainable ‘fostering team’.

Only one study addresses gender as a potential factor; Twigg (1993) found

that a placement which involved an adolescent being placed with an

adolescent of a foster carer, but were opposite in gender, were more likely to

produce complications. Conversely, younger children responded more

positively to children of the opposite sex (Twigg, 1993); this may be due to

fewer strong differences between younger children, however this is yet to be

explored further.

1.6 Aggression and Conflict

The children of foster carers are sometimes at risk of being the recipient of

aggressive behaviour from the fostered children (Watson and Jones, 2002).

These acts may include physical or verbal threats, manipulative behaviour,

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destruction or theft of valuable possessions, or actual physical acts of

aggression.

Children of foster carer’s express concern for their own safety, however they

express greater concern for the safety of their relatives, in particular their

mothers (Swan, 2000; Watson and Jones, 2002; Nuske, 2006; Sutton and

Stack, 2012). Throughout the aforementioned research, they expressed

feelings of anger toward the treatment of their parents aggressive or violent

children were in their care. Where the children of foster carers were older and

mature, they described instances of having to intervene in order to defuse

aggressive situations (Watson and Jones, 2002; Nuske, 2006).

While foster families are at risk of receiving acts of violence against them,

actual instances are arguably in the minority (Twigg and Swan, 2007). In spite

of this, it has been reported that instances of aggression are sometimes

overlooked by the foster care system (Watson and Jones, 2002).

1.7 The Benefits of Fostering

Despite the many challenges encountered through fostering, the children of

foster carers often look to highlight more positive aspects of their experiences

(Twigg and Swan, 2007; Sutton and Stack, 2012).

Children of foster carers often report being influenced positively by the

fostering experience; they comment feeling more responsible, sensitive and

mature people (Swan, 2000; Nuske, 2004). The participants in the work of

Swan (2000) felt the experience of fostering was something which they

benefited from:

“Fostering made me who I am today … and I like who I am; fostering made

me responsible; fostering made me flexible (Swan, 2000, p.13).

Swan argues the benefits of fostering can sometimes outweigh the negatives,

as the children of foster carer’s often comment on being positively influenced

by the fostering experience and express a greater awareness of social issues.

Additionally they felt able to empathise with the unfortunate circumstances the

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foster children had arrived from, and they expressed satisfaction through

watching them grow and develop (Swan, 2000; Sutton and Stack, 2012).

The above findings are supported by Pugh (1996) and Höjer (2007), who

assert that the children of foster carers can benefit from the experience of

fostering as it presents an opportunity to develop their ‘emotional literacy

skills’. These skills are essential for emotional regulation and interpersonal

relationships, and the more developed they are, the more cable they will be to

cope with emotionally demanding issues (Joseph and Strain, 2003).

Additionally Humphrey et al,. (2007) explains that emotional literacy is

essential for well-being in adulthood and reduces the likelihood of developing

ill mental health. They reflect altruistic qualities and lower ego-centrism, and

allow individuals to understand the perspective of others (Bandura, 1986;

1997). The children of foster carers have been found to display these

qualities; they may offer explanations for their foster sibling’s unwanted

behaviour, and show awareness of the deeper issues which underpin them

(Pugh, 1996; Höjer, 2007; Sutton and Stack, 2012).

It is important to recognise however, that while the children of foster carers

are able to report many benefits, the negative issues may still have a negative

impact upon them. Twigg (1994) questions the extent to which the positive

aspects are overstated, and argues that the children of foster carers may be

inclined to present a socially acceptable point of view. This may be influenced

by the belief that they should not be critical of their parent’s choices, as Swan

(2000) argues that foster carers children seek to protect their parent’s integrity

despite holding ambivalent feelings.

1.8 Placement Endings

The end of a placement, the period during which foster children leave the

household to return home, or onto another placement, causes the most

emotional distress to the foster family (Poland and Groze, 1993; Pugh, 1996;

Norrington, 2002; Twigg and Swan, 2007; Younes and Harp, 2007; Sutton

and Stack, 2012). Placement endings can cause a stir of emotions for the

children of foster carers, including anxiety, loss and guilt (Younes and Harp,

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2007), and the children of foster carers may experience emotional harm as a

result (Pugh, 1996; Twigg and Swan, 2007; Sutton and Stack, 2012).

Placement endings characterise the contradictory situation that foster families

are faced with; where they are expected to include foster children into their

family and nurture them with the knowledge that they will eventually leave

(Twigg and Swan, 2007). This is summarised further through the work of

Nuske (2006), whose participant commented:

“You have to put your whole heart and soul into these kids and try to make

them feel comfortable and make them feel at home and everything like that

and at the same time you have to keep a fair distance away to save yourself”

(Nuske, 2006, p. 236).

It can be argued that the children of foster carers, as well as the foster family

itself, need time to grieve once the foster child has left their home. Despite the

need for this, there are few considerations for how to support the children of

foster carers at this time. Fostering services recognise the sensitivity

surrounding the ending of a placement and recognise loss that the children

experience, the demand for foster placements often prevents the opportunity

for a grieving period (Watson and Jones, 2002; Twigg and Swan, 2007).

Placement endings may provide an opportunity for foster families to ‘regroup’

and address their own needs (Sutton and Stack, 2012), however this may only

act as a short-term avoidance strategy through which grief is avoided, rather

than addressed. Littleton et al., (2007) argues that this approach may resolve

short term distress; however it is maladaptive if relied upon. Additionally,

unresolved grief has been linked to increased psychopathy in adulthood

(Edmans and Marcellino-Boisvert, 2002), this further evidences the

importance of emotional support for the children of foster carers during this

period.

1.9 Rationale for Present Study

Previous literature acknowledges the difficulties that the children of foster

carers may experience; however little research pays attention to how they

manage these experiences (Walsh and Campbell, 2009; Sutton and Stack,

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2012). It is essential to further understand the role they play within the

fostering setting, as prospective foster parents may wish to consider the

variety of potential challenges and issues faced by their own children when

foster children are brought into their home (Younes & Harp, 2007).

Therefore the aim of this study is to explore the views and experiences of

foster carer’s own children in relation to how they approach the fostering

experience and manage the potential challenges faced by them. A qualitative

method will be employed in order to obtain the salient meanings of how the

children of foster carers view make sense of their experiences.

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Chapter 2: Methodology

2.1 Design

A qualitative study employing semi-structured interviews to obtain data.

2.2 Sample

A purposive sampling technique was used to select six individuals, their

parents had fostered for a period of at least one year during which they were

living at home. Participants were recruited on the basis of meeting this

inclusion criterion. Participants were required to be of at least 19 years of age

and their current residence was not the home in which their parents were

currently fostering. This was necessary to encourage a retrospective

approach to the subject matter, and to ensure that interviews were distanced

from any current foster children in the care of their parents. This was

necessary to avoid the emotional involvement of any foster children. Six

individuals agreed to be interviewed (Gender: M= 2 F= 4), who were recruited

through acquaintances of the researcher. This was primarily done by word of

mouth.

2.3 Materials

The apparatus for this study included one Interview Schedule, Information

Sheet, Consent Form and Recording Device.

2.4 Development of Interview Schedule

The interview schedule was designed according to the key issues specified in

the relevant academic literature. Topics were identified then arranged flexibly

to accommodate each participant’s interpretation of events.

Initial questions were focused on being general and unthreatening, allowing

rapport to build between the interviewer and participant (e.g. When did the

fostering first begin?). Gradually the questions became more specific (e.g.

What kind of relationship did you have with the foster children?). Questions

toward the end were focused on concluding the discussion (e.g. What is your

overall view of fostering?) in order for the participants to reflect on their prior

15

comments. Most questions asked were open ended to allow participants to

determine their own responses (Fereday, 2006); however some questions

were intended to be specific in order to probe specific issues (e.g. Do you feel

you had a particular role?)

2.5 Pilot

A pilot interview was conducted with a participant who met the inclusion

criterion who was already an acquaintance of the researcher. The purpose of

the pilot interview was to ensure that questions asked were suitable, prompted

acceptable responses, and was structured adequately according to the aim of

the research. The majority of questions produced satisfying responses;

however it was necessary to readjust the wording of some and for the

chronology of the interview to be altered.

2.6 Ethical Considerations

The method of this study was examined by the ethics committee of the

university to establish practically and to identify any discrepancies. Data

collection began once ethical approval was obtained and all participants were

informed before data collection of their right to withdraw at any stage without

penalty.

2.7 Procedure

Recruiting was deployed opportunistically; correspondence between the

researcher and participants took place via email. An information sheet was

provided to each participant through first contact which explained the purpose

of the study. Consent was obtained once participant confirmed their

willingness to take part, date and location of the interview was arranged

through second correspondence once each participant agreed to take part.

Participants were contacted prior to interview to confirm their decision to take

part. Before each interview commenced, participants were reminded of the

focus of the interview according to the information sheet provided, and their

right to withdraw at any time without penalty.

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Once participants were satisfied with all information, interviews commenced.

During each interview, the researcher ensured participants were relaxed,

remained focused on them and listened attentively. The researcher prompted

participants where necessary to maintain the flow of the interview, and to

allow the participant to manage their thoughts. Once the interviews were

completed, participants were thanked for their time. Each interview lasted

between twenty and thirty five minutes.

Each interview was then transcribed in order to conduct the analysis.

2.8 Method of Analysis

Thematic Analysis was used to analyse the data, which was conducted in

accordance with the stages recommended by Braun & Clarke (2006).

Stage one involved familiarisation with the data; each interview was read and

re-read individually to insure immersion with the data. Initial ideas or

meanings within the data were noted.

Stage two focused on formation of initial codes, this involved coding any

interesting aspects of the data across the whole data set and to consolidate all

data which were linked to each code. Any patterns within the data were

highlighted and annotated.

Stage three involved formation of themes within the data. This was done by

grouping and arranging codes which were relevant to each respective theme.

Potential themes were eliminated or consolidated to form one theme. The

primary focus of this theme was to consider the relationship between the

codes and themes to ensure a logical reflection of the meaning.

Stage four concerned evaluating each theme, this stage involved two phases;

the first involved reading each extracts relevant to each theme and ensuring a

logical pattern emerged. The second phase involved ensuring that the theme

communicated an accurate representation of the whole data set.

The final themes were named and defined according to the overall narrative of

the six data sets; the names produced for each theme were intended to

capture the meaning within them.

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Chapter 3: Results

From the analysed data four themes emerged. These themes provide insight

into the similarities and differences between how the participants approach

and manage the experience of fostering, which are displayed in the table

below:

3.1 Table of Themes

Household Dynamics: Age,

Acceptance and Management

Age as key influence in approaching

relationship with fostered children:

75 – 77 “…We all pretty much got on

really well…” (Leona)

250 – 251 “…My brother really got on with

him cause they were similar in age…”

(Matthew)

282 – 285 “...I’m old enough and mature

enough and I think…” (Andy)

230 – 231 “…I don’t think I would have

liked to have been younger…” (Leona)

155 – 157 “…Cause I was like the only

girl, and the eldest of the youngest, I was

like- I wanted to look after them…”

(Samantha)

274 – 276 “…I had that distance, I was

five, six, seven years older…” (Matthew)

203 – 204 “…I just felt like one of them…”

(Leona)

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Reason for acceptance of fostering as a

factor in how the experience is

approached:

Management of experience as coping

strategy:

178 – 180 “…Because I was similar in

age to them, they felt they could confide

in me…” (Leona)

152 – 153 “…We kind of understood that

that’s what she had to do…” (Sarah)

44 – 46 “…When we we’re younger we

always babysat for other people’s

children…” (Sian)

20 – 21 “…I didn’t know any different…”

(Leona)

23 – 24 “…that’s how it’s always been so

I wouldn’t know any different…”

(Samantha)

576 – 577 "…It was her earning a living

and I was benefiting from it…” (Sarah)

83 – 84 “…I wouldn’t know any different,

they’ve had their surnames changed and

stuff…” (Samantha)

10 – 12 “…we were all quite aware that

she wanted to do it…” (Andy)

100 – 102 “…I had a boyfriend at the

time…”

(Sarah)

196 – 201 “…wanted to do my own thing

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sort of person…” (Matthew)

376 – 377 “…There wasn’t any support.

In that- like I only got it as a favour…”

(Leona)

Negative Experiences vs. Positive

Experiences

Negatives experiences: Issues found to

be challenging.

Positive experiences: The benefits of

fostering.

344 – 346 “…’it’s just THINGS, it doesn’t

matter…” (Sarah)

145 – 147 “…a lot of my things were

stolen…” (Matthew)

305 – 307 “… she’s always said like ‘No

one’s going to intimidate me, no one’s

going to threaten me’…” (Sarah)

246 – 248 “…And sometimes they could

(.) get violet towards my mother…”

(Leona)

460 – 461 “…I was confused I didn’t want

him to hurt my mum obviously…”

(Samantha)

318 – 320 “…I needed peace and quiet to

get on with things. THAT caused a lot of

arguments…” (Matthew)

316 – 317 “…improvement in every

person that we’ve had is like – VAST…”

(Sarah)

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286 – 292 “…You just see how different

they are…” (Laura)

478 – 480 “…she was completely

changed and …she was so involved and

she just loves it…” (Andy)

392 – 394 “…you’re exposed to more

about, you know, society in general…”

(Matthew)

509 – 512 “…I'm so proud of my younger

brothers 'cause they could have turned

out a lot worse…” (Samantha)

Empathy: The Foster Parents and

Foster Children

Empathy towards the foster children:

Empathy towards relatives:

51 – 54 “… I think she was- initially she

had that sort of element of, I wouldn’t say

jealousy but sort of, uhh slight

undertone…” (Andy)

200 – 205 “…this is obviously going to

make her adoption a lot more

traumatic…” (Andy)

728 – 732 “…cause I think if I was

fostered I’d find it really really difficult I

think…” (Sarah)

212– 214 “…be more understanding…”

(Samantha)

341 – 343 “…what I really noticed with all

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the foster kids was just the time they

needed…” (Matthew)

201 - 206 "...they’ve decided to hold her

adoption…” (Andy)

116 – 118 “…it’s just quite, daunting

thinking about what would have

happened…” (Andy)

374 – 377 “…I think it hit her more than it

hit us…” (Sian)

748 – 751 “…Just when it upsets my

mum it makes me really angry…” (Sarah)

157 – 159 “…but that’s the bit I hate

about it all…” (Laura)

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Placement Endings

A mixture of emotions as a consequence

of the foster children leaving the foster

home.

611 – 614 “…then suddenly they were

like it will be in a month’s time…” (Sarah)

57 – 61 “…you know it’s going to

happen…” (Sian)

546 – 511 “…I think knowing where they

are going makes it easier…” (Sian)

136 – 141 “…but then you know that bond

is sort of gonna go…” (Andy)

258 – 261 “…I didn’t want them to go

back their mum obviously ‘cause I made a

great connection…” (Samantha)

317 – 324 “…I dunno, eventually you just-

become, you just get used to it I

suppose…” (Samantha)

57 – 59 “…I used to get really upset when

they left…” (Laura)

214 – 218 “…I used to get attached to the

kids and then they’d be going…” (Leona)

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3.2 Household Dynamics: Age, Acceptance and Management

From the data, it emerged the dynamics of each participant’s family strongly

influenced how they viewed and approached the idea of fostering. These

dynamics were characterised by three factors, the first of which was age. Age

was an important factor in terms of the participant’s approach to their

relationship with the foster children; some felt that being of a similar age made

it easier for them to get along:

75 – 77 “We all pretty much got on really well we we’re similar in age as well”

(Leona)

250 – 253 “My brother really got on with him cause they were similar in age, it’s-it’s

they liked to do the same things” (Matthew)

It was clear across each interview that participants had a preference to be the

oldest child within their household; through discussion of this subject they

affirmed this, some felt being the eldest of the family allowed them to adopt a

more responsible role, and in contrast the prospect of having older foster

siblings was unappealing:

155 – 157 “Cause I was the only girl, and the eldest of the youngest, I was like- I

wanted to look after them” (Samantha)

230 – 231 “I don’t think I would have liked to have been younger and have older

foster brothers and sisters” (Leona)

Leona, who had older and younger foster siblings, disliked being of a similar

age to some of the foster children and in spite of this, she found they were

more willing to confide in her instead of her parents:

178 – 180 “Because I was similar in age to them, they felt they could confide in me”

(Leona)

Matthew felt being much older than the foster children allowed him to create

more distance between them and himself, conversely he feels his younger

brother was ‘tangled up’ more with them, which he perceived to be a negative

issue:

24

274 – 276 “He was really in that age that- he was with-w-with them all whereas I had

that distance, I was five, six, seven years older so” (Matthew)

For Andy, being nineteen when the fostering first began made him more

capable of approaching any potential challenges; he strongly attributes this to

a wider awareness of important issues which enabled him to be better

prepared:

282 – 285 “I think it’s like an underbelly of society that a lot of people are completely

reluctant to accept that it goes on. And I think (.) I’m mature enough now to sort of

see and comprehend what’s going on” (Andy)

Each participant understood the reason for why their family had decided to

foster, while they were typically not included in the decision making process,

they felt able to accept foster children into their household. This notion of

acceptance helped them to understand the decision to foster, thus aiding their

approach to the task:

576 – 577 “It was her earning a living from it and I was benefiting from it” (Sarah)

10 – 13 “We we’re all quite aware that she wanted to do it” (Andy)

For Samantha and Sian, who had brothers and sisters and were used to being

around many children, they did not feel challenged by the idea of having other

children living in their home:

44 – 46 “When we we’re younger we always babysat for other people’s children”

(Sian)

83-84 “That’s how it’s always been so I wouldn’t know any different” (Samantha)

Samantha describes two foster children as being “blood”, because they had

been fostered within her home for a long period of time:

23 – 24 “Yeahhh I wouldn’t know any different, they’ve had their surnames changed

and stuff” (Samantha)

For Leona, growing up with children to whom she was not blood related was

considered a normal dimension of her home life, as her mother had been

25

fostering before she was born. Like Samantha she had an older brother who

was fostered, but whom the family adopted:

20 – 21 “I didn’t know any different because I knew my brother was fostered”

(Leona)

While this could be considered an extraordinary circumstance, Leona feels

this helped her to identify with the foster children. It may also reflect that the

integration of fostering into her family while she was at a young age made the

process easier for her:

203 – 204 “I just felt like one of them, I just felt the same as them I think” (Leona)

Each participant encountered challenges throughout the experience, and they

had their own ways of managing this:

100 – 102 “I had a boyfriend at the time so it was quite- it was nice cause I had some

sort of relief” (Sarah)

196 – 201 M: I was sort of- introverted-

P: Yeah-

M: -wanted to do my own thing sort of person. Especially when- when I got to my

teenage years (Matthew)

Despite all participants having to deal with negative issues (stealing, conflict

etc.), only Leona spoke of her jealousy towards the foster children, and how

she occasionally felt the foster children had ‘more’ than she did. She

describes having ‘her own’ social worker for support, which helped her to not

feel left out at times:

376 – 377 “There wasn’t any support. In that- like I only got it as a favour” (Leona)

3.3 Negative Experiences vs. Positive Experiences

Participants communicated clearly that the experience of fostering is

challenging, consequently they were exposed to a mixture of positive and

negative issues. While this made the nature of fostering conflicting they felt

able to realise the real benefits of foster care, and that these issues did not

26

affect their overall view of the fostering experience. However, Sarah and

Matthew spoke of how having their possessions stolen was both upsetting

and disruptive:

344 – 346 “That’s important. But, she didn’t really care, and she kept saying to me

[mother] ‘It’s just THINGS, it doesn’t matter’. So I-I just adopted that attitude as well

and was like fine” (Sarah)

145 – 147 “I-a lot of my things were stolen and- things that I prize so I- completely-

you know, I went from s- I had a very sort of open, you know I- never thought-

“(Matthew)

Some participants spoke of instances of aggression towards their mothers, for

them this was considered to be the most disruptive issue. It was evident

through recollection of these events that this was produced the most negative

emotions:

305 – 307 “And she doesn’t- she’s always said like ‘No one’s going to intimidate me,

no one’s going to threaten me’, so even though she’s small she haha-“ (Sarah)

246 – 248 “…And sometimes they could (.) get violet towards my mother…” (Leona)

When asked about the positive aspects of the fostering experience, they

spoke of the eventual improvements in fostered children’s lives and displayed

a mature awareness of the importance their family played in improving their

lives:

508 – 512 “I’m so proud of my younger brothers ‘cause they could have turned out a

lot worse (.) I dunno it’s worth it in the end, it’s true what they say, you can change

someone’s life” (Samantha)

316 – 317 “Oh of course there is- seeing the improvement in every person that we’ve

had is like – VAST” (Sarah)

Some participants spoke a long lasting positive effect that fostering had on

themselves and their siblings; they fostering as a learning experience through

which their perspective was widened:

27

392 – 394 “You’re exposed to more about, you know, society in general, which you

wouldn’t have known otherwise” (Matthew)

478 – 480 “she was completely changed and she was so involved and she just loves

it” (Andy)

3.4 Empathy

By enabling themselves to recognise the positive and negative aspects of the

fostering experience, some participants had adapted to a caring role. Through

this they felt they were able to empathise with all those involved, and in terms

of the foster children they were able to justify the reasons for their unwanted

behaviour:

728 – 732 “cause I think if I was fostered I would find it really really difficult I think-

I am very conscious of when I’m intruding, making someone uncomfortable so even

if I was living in someone else’s house I’d be really like- rrrrrrr” (Sarah)

116 – 118 “It would have been, it’s just quite, daunting thinking about what if that

child had been put with a family who weren’t quite as familiar” (Andy)

As displayed by the previous theme, most participants displayed great

concern for their parents, in particular mothers. It was evident that they were

concerned more of the impact fostering on them before themselves:

460 – 461 “and obviously I had to see all of that, which is quite hard I was confused I

didn’t want him to hurt my mum obviously” (Samantha)

748 – 751”Just when it upsets my mum it makes me really angry- but- I know it’s

really bad but my mums a star and I think she’s one of the best people she can be with

in this situation” (Sarah)

The participants also showed great concern for their younger siblings, and

understood that for the fostering experience would be harder for them to

manage; they felt their younger age left them more likely to be susceptible to

experience negative emotions:

28

51 – 54 “I think it was slightly more difficult for my younger sister, I think she was-

initially she had that sort of element of, I wouldn’t say jealousy but sort of, uhh slight

undertone” (Andy)

374 – 377 “I think it hit her more than it hit us, we we’re more independent while she

was still dependent on mum and dad, and I think it hit her harder than it hit us” (Sian)

While Laura describes instances of conflict between herself and the fostered

children, she felt this conflict was perpetuated by the foster children’s

aggressive behaviour towards her nieces and nephews, and she felt

particularly protective of them:

157 – 159 “If they were like bullying my nieces of nephews or pushing them around

and then I used to- that’s-that’s- but that’s the bit I hate about it all” (Leona)

This selfless concern places participants, as they displayed qualities which

are normally attributed to foster parents. In discussions about the aspects of

fostering which were less appealing to them, participants displayed a

continued demonstration of their altruistic qualities of being able to recognise

the needs of the foster children before their own:

200 – 205 “I don’t understand this because this is obviously going to make her

adoption a lot more traumatic” (Andy)

212 -214 “But also like, be more understanding with people like. Umm, not to be so

judgemental because you never know they come from like what their background is.

(Samantha)

3.5 Placement Endings

All but one participant felt that the end of placements was the most difficult

period of the fostering process. They expressed feelings of upset and

sadness; with some feeling that they had become ‘attached’ to the children

who left their parents care. They understood placement endings were an

inevitable part of the fostering process, and consequently no negative feelings

were directed towards the fostered children. However they felt at times

placement endings could be sudden, often leaving them little time to prepare

for an appropriate goodbye:

29

611 – 614 “Then suddenly they were like it will be in a month’s time, and then

suddenly she was texting me like ‘No he can’t go’. She accepted it but not that soon,

she’s not ready for it” (Sarah)

For Sian and Andy, they felt it was necessary to recognise that the fostered

children would not be in their parent’s care ‘forever’, and so retaining this

throughout their placement acted as a protective mechanism in an attempt to

prevent feelings of hurt:

58 – 61 “you know they got to come and got to go you know and, whether they go

back to family or whether they got to another carer or whether they’re adopted, you

know, its gonna come” (Sian)

136 – 141 A: It feels like there’s that initial getting used to a new person but then it’s

the same feeling of- I dunno you- a bond sort of develops quite quickly-

P: Yeah-

A: But then you know that is sort of gonna go (laughs). (Andy)

However one participant expressed feelings of guilt when fostered children

were returned to their original homes, because she felt despite the positive

reason for the child to leave, she understood her own attachment to the child

would ultimately be broken:

256 – 259 “I didn’t want them to go back to their mums obviously ‘cause I’d made a

great connection but when everyone was going I was it not like in a selfish way but

like ‘aw, why do they have to go’ sort of thing” (Samantha)

She expressed concern over the hurt caused by abrupt placement endings,

and felt that having to manage a great number of them left a lasting effect on

the way she currently forms relationships:

264 – 268 “Umm, I suppose it’s had like, an effect on, I dunno like, relationship wise?

‘Cause especially with short term fostering, I came used to like, like, getting a good

connection with someone and then all of a sudden they would go and I would never

see them again” (Samantha)

30

31

Chapter 4: Discussion

4.1 Introduction

Past research regarding the children of foster carers has confirmed a range of

potential challenges which they may face. In particular, research has

addressed these challenges in relation to a link between the presence of

foster carer’s own children and the failure of foster placements (Farmer et al.,

2004; Sutton and Stack, 2012). The impact of these findings is validated

through many foster carers deciding to resign due to the effect fostering has

had on their own children (Triseliotis et al., 2000; Rhodes et al., 2001 Farmer

et al, 2004). While it is arguable past studies have provided valuable insight

into the experiences of foster carers’ children, with the exception of Sutton

and Stack (2012), few studies have addressed the way in which they

approach and manage the challenges they face.

4.2 Findings

The present study aimed to gain further insight into the views and experiences

of foster carers’ children, in relation to the way in which they manage the

experiences and challenges of foster care. Four themes were identified from

the data.

The first and perhaps most salient of the themes, ‘Household Dynamics’,

identified several factors that strongly influenced the participant’s approach

and management of their experience, most of which have been observed in

previous research. The first factor centered on age; which influenced how they

approached their relationship with the fostered children, and the majority felt it

was better to be older as opposed to same age, or younger. Previous

research has linked age to placement stability, and has found that placements

are more successful when the foster carer’s children are older (Berridge and

Cleaver, 1987; Pugh, 1996). It is possible that the participant’s drive to remain

the oldest child of the family is a reflection of their own identity, and for this to

be challenged by an older foster sibling, would invoke feelings of vulnerability

(Sutton and Stack, 2012).

32

For Matthew, being the oldest allowed him to distance himself from the

fostering context, providing an appropriate barrier. Conversely his younger

brother, who was the same age as the fostered children, was more involved

with them. This supports previous literature suggesting, that foster placements

function best when the fostered children are a few years younger than the

children of foster carers (Kelly, 2000; Höjer and Nordenfors, 2004). This

appears to be due to an appropriate boundary being established, which allows

the foster carer’s children maintain their own personal space. It is also

arguable based on previous literature that an appropriate age gap allows the

children of foster carers to feel less threatened by the fostered children in

relation to their established position within the family (Twigg and Swan, 2007).

The notion of agreement between family members was found to be an

important factor. The majority of participants felt they had accepted the arrival

of foster children as it was something that their parents wanted, in particular

participants mentioned mothers. For two participants, they already had

adopted siblings as family members and so fostering did not introduce

dramatic changes to them. Past literature argues that the arrival of foster

children can be a difficult period due to the competition for parental attention

(Kaplan, 1988; Swan, 2002; Höjer, 2007). The participants of this study did

not view this as a prevalent issue; they recognised the importance of their

parent’s attention being focused to the fostered children. Interestingly

participants mentioned being excited about the prospect of gaining foster

siblings. This supports research regarding the benefits of positive thinking; the

children of foster carers appear to be able to protect their psychological well-

being during a potentially negative period (Capara and Steca, 2005).

Management of the fostering experience was also found to be an important

factor. Participants recognised the effects of fostering on the family as a

whole, and each appeared to have their own method of coping with this. It

appeared that most participants felt they could handle the challenges of

fostering by doing what any other child or young person would do; one female

participant felt that having a boyfriend distracted her from fostering and one

male participant felt ‘doing his own thing’ allowed him to distance himself from

fostering. While participants mentioned different forms of coping strategy; it is

33

notable that most did not seek support from their own parents. Previous

literature indicates that children of foster carers are reluctant to share their

own concerns with their parents, not wishing to cause them further stress

(Twigg, 1993; Norrington, 2002; Swan, 2002; Nuske, 2006). However the

participants did not view this as a negative issue; they felt that their

relationship with their own parents was not challenged and that they were able

to approach them if they felt they had concerns.

The second theme uncovered was ‘Positive Experiences vs. Negative

Experiences’. Participants showed a strong awareness that the nature of

fostering brought about both positive and negative experiences. However,

despite having to contend with negative issues, they felt that they could

recognise the benefits of fostering above everything else. They acknowledged

having their possessions stolen and instances of aggression as stressful

events, however this did not lead them to disregard the benefits of fostering,

as they felt that the negative issues experienced were trivial compared to the

positive aspects. It is perhaps most notable that the participants were able to

recognise the benefits fostering could have for themselves; as a consequence

they felt more mature, capable and understanding of sensitive issues, a

finding prevalent throughout previous literature (Swan, 2000; Nuske, 2004;

Stack, 2012).

Participants noted observing improvements of the fostered children over the

course of their placement. They expressed pride and happiness when

recognising these improvements, and it would appear, that the recognition of

positive events within fostering enabled the children of foster carers to

continue with the fostering experience in spite of challenging events, as

supported by previous literature (Twigg and Swan, 2007; Stack, 2012). This is

further explained by the children of foster carers sense of self efficacy;

identifying as being part of a working team where they may improve the lives

of those who are less fortunate than themselves (Bandura, 1986; 1997).

In particular, one male (Matthew) seemed to recognise that the positive

experiences may be outweighed by the negatives. He argued that the

perceived benefits of fostering and widening of perspective were not

34

necessary during his teenage years, and therefore felt they were not justified.

This supports a concern raised by Twigg (1994) who argues that the benefits

of fostering should not be overstated and that the children of foster carers may

be reluctant to give their honest views. Despite this, the majority of

participants felt that they had benefited from the positive aspects, with most

feeling that they had matured as a result of the fostering experience.

The third theme outlined was ‘Empathy’. In terms of negative experiences

participants were more concerned for the welfare of their relatives than

themselves, particularly when foster children were displaying undesirable

behaviour. The participants expressed the most concern for their mothers, as

this caused the most feelings of anger and concern. Despite this possibly

impacting on them, they were able to justify it by appreciating the negative

circumstances which led the foster children to enter the care system. This

empathy shows mature understanding of the circumstances surrounding the

fostering task, which supports a previous finding (Swan, 2000) attributing this

quality to the children of foster carers nature as compassionate beings.

The feelings of empathy expressed by participants provide further evidence

that the children of foster carers are caring and sensitive individuals (Watson

and Jones, 2002) and their empathetic thinking would seem to overcome the

difficulties surrounding the fostered children’s unwanted behaviour. This

theme supports previous findings which imply that the children of foster carers

are capable of developing their emotional literacy skills throughout the

fostering experience. Their lowered ego-centrism allows them to see the world

from the perspective of others, contributing to their resilience throughout the

experience itself (Joseph and Strain, 2003; Humphrey et al, 2007).

The final theme concerns ‘Placement Endings’. All but one of the participants

regarded this period as a difficult phase in the fostering experience, and all

participants agreed this period was one of mixed emotions. However, they

understood that it was a necessary period, as foster children would eventually

have to leave. The participant’s attitudes towards this issue varied; some

maintained it was easier to remember that the fostered children would

eventually leave, and they bared this in mind when building a relationship with

35

them. This acted as a protective mechanism that can be likened to previous

research, stating that the children of foster carers were able to interpret the

experience of placement endings as a positive event, and the fostering

household are given the opportunity to ‘regroup’ and prepare for the next

placement (Sutton and Stack, 2012).

Some participants expressed feelings of guilt and sadness when the foster

children left their home; this was explained by them feeling they had

developed a good relationship with them and so, this period was regarded as

a time of loss in their family. As a consequence, one female participant

expressed concern for the way she presently forms relationships. This

supports previous findings, arguing that children of foster carers may

experience emotional harm as a result of feelings of loss and guilt (Pugh,

1996; Younes and Harp, 2007).

While the issue of losing parental attention was mentioned in the present

study, it was not found to be a pivotal issue. Previous studies argue that the

children of foster carer’s experience loss of parental attention and

consequently they can experience negative emotions (Watson and Jones,

2002; Höjer and Nordenfors, 2003). It is possible that the participants of the

present study may have experienced loss of parental attention, however they

may not have interpreted this event as being a ‘loss’, but rather an inevitability

of the fostering experience (Norrington, 2002; Nuske, 2006).

4.3 Limitations

While the present study supports previous findings, there are limitations to

consider. The use of qualitative methods provides a retrospective approach

which allows research to gain valuable insight into the experiences of

individuals (Belk, 2007). However, this method is limited by its reliance on

participants to recall information. While crucial and meaningful information

was provided by the participants in the present study, it is likely that some vital

information was not recalled by them. As participants in this study had an age

range from twenty-two to thirty-four, it is possible that the events discussed

during the interviews were harder to recall for some than others. It would

36

therefore have been advantageous for participants in this study to have been

closer in age.

It must also be recognised when conducting qualitative research that analysis

is subject to the interpretation of the researcher, and so the results are

engaged with a double hermeneutic; meaning that they are not exclusively

applicable to reality (Giddens, 1987).

While the present study did not reveal any perceived gender differences, it

must be noted that female participants outweighed the male participants.

Therefore, future studies should recognise this as a potential issue and recruit

an equal gender split in order to explore this further.

4.4 Future Research

Future research should consider the issues discussed in order to provide

further validation of their salience to the fostering context. In doing so it may

be possible to understand how these issues can be regulated in practice, e.g.

placement matching (placing foster children in the most suitable setting)

(Twigg and Swan, 2007).

While the present study has demonstrated that foster carer’s children are

capable of being resilient and mature individuals, the potential harm that some

of these issues may illicit should not be ignored. Greater understanding and

awareness of these issues may contribute to greater training for prospective

foster parents. Thus allowing them to consider and hopefully divert potential

issues which may affect their own children appropriately (Walsh and

Campbell, 2009).

4.5 Reflexive Analysis

My parents have been foster carers since 2001 and subsequently many of my

previous experiences related to some of the issues which were the focus of

the present study. Therefore, I have a strong appreciation for the benefits of

fostering, but also an awareness that many of these issues are not adequately

addressed at the detriment of all those involved in the fostering household.

Due to the personal significance of the issues discussed presently, it is

37

possible that my own experiences have led me to focus on issues more

salient to myself. It is possible that some issues have been addressed in

greater detail than others. This should be considered when interpreting the

results.

4.6 Conclusion

The findings of the present study support previous literature concerning the

experiences of foster carers own children (Watson and Jones, 2002; Twigg

and Swan, 2007; Höjer, 2007; Sutton and Stack, 2012). These findings

identify numerous potential challenges faced by the children of foster carers

and provide insight into how these experiences are approached and managed

by them within the fostering context. The small body of research indicates that

while these issues have been explored in some measure, there is still a lack

of research concerning how these issues can be managed. The results of the

present study highlight the prevalence of these issues; however it is clear that

the children of foster carers can benefit greatly from the experience which

leaves a long lasting impression upon them.

While there are some limitations to consider the present study is

methodologically sound. Further study of this area should consider

interviewing a larger sample of participants and aim to replicate the findings

observed in present and previous literature.

38

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children. Adoption and Fostering, 26(1), 49-55.

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impact of stressful ‘events on foster carers. British Journal of Social Work,

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Younes, M. N. and Harp, M. (2007). Addressing the impact of foster care on

biological children and their families. Child Welfare, 65(4), 21-40.

43

Appendices

Appendix I

Interview Schedule

When did the fostering begin?

i. How old were you?

What do you remember about the decision to foster?

i. Both parents/One parent?

Were you involved in the decision to foster?

i. What do you remember about how you felt during this time?

Do you have any brothers and sisters?

i. How did they feel about the idea of fostering?

How many children did your parents foster?

Do you remember the first day they arrived?

Were you made aware of their situation?

i. Was confidentiality discussed with you?

What relationship did you have with the fostered children?

i. Were you seen as a younger/older brother/sister?

ii. Did you spend much time with them?

Do you feel you had a particular role?

i. Did you get involved/help your parents?

Did your relationship with you parent/parents change?

i. Do you feel you had less attention?

44

ii. Were they supportive of your own situation in terms of

fostering?

Was there anything that affected you most?

i. Conflict, stealing, aggressive behaviour?

What was the most positive aspect of fostering?

What was your relationship with social services/social workers?

Did you go holiday together? / Share activities with them and your

parents?

On the whole what is your view of fostering?

Is there anything you would like to add?

45

Word Count

Abstract:

Introduction:

Method:

Results:

Discussion:

Total:

Signed: ___________________ Date: ___________________