Factors Associated With Stability for Children in Family Foster Care
A Study of Case Files in Six Municipalities in Sweden
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 6417819 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Ann‐sofie Bergman (0000-0001-5202-0722, Department of Social Work Stockholm University Stockholm Sweden, corresponding author), Miia Bask (0000-0003-4749-8750, Department of Sociology Uppsala University Uppsala Sweden), Kristina Engwall (0000-0002-2480-7074, Department of Social Work Uppsala University Uppsala Sweden), Ulrika Järkestig Berggren (0000-0002-1325-9965, Department of Social Work Linnaeus University Kalmar Sweden) |
| Year | 2024 |
| Volume | 30 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 377-386 |
| Publication date | 2024-04-23 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Child & Family Social Work (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1356-7500 • E-ISSN: 1365-2206 |
| Publisher | Wiley (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1111/cfs.13176 |
| OpenAlex | W4395080947 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 7 |
| References cited | 36 |
Stability is vital for the development, health and relationships of children in family foster care. Instability can lead to social and school issues, low self‐esteem and diminished trust in caregivers. This article examines the risk and protective factors for stability for these children. Data, drawn from case files in six municipalities ( n = 116), combine qualitative and quantitative analyses for a comprehensive understanding. Twenty children from each municipality were selected, with 10 in stable placements (lived in one family foster home for over a year) and 10 in unstable placements (lived in at least two different family foster homes). Quantitative results highlight the importance of factors like familiar placements, a child's age at the time of placement, behavioural challenges and the number of children in the foster home. Stable placements were more common in homes with fewer children (including foster and biological children). Qualitative findings show that in some instances, breakdowns in foster care placements could not be foreseen, often arising from stressful events within the foster family's life after the child's placement. Additionally, we observed that breakdowns sometimes resulted from foster parents lacking the necessary resources to address the child's requirements, particularly in cases involving children with behavioural challenges or extensive needs
Developmental psychology · Family medicine · Foster care · Child Abuse and Trauma · Child Welfare and Adoption · Intergenerational Family Dynamics and Caregiving · Medicine · Nursing · Psychology
‘I Really Felt Like They Made the Decision Without Involving Me at All’
Adverse childhood experiences partially mediate sexual minority disparities in depression, anxiety, and suicidality in a population-based study
The Foster Parent Role and Care Temporality
Dual parent-professional role
How Are Children Involved? Participation of Children in the Process of Matching With Foster Families
Matching the general or the specific child with a foster home
Estimating the effects of placement changes on internalizing and externalizing symptoms
Who disrupts from placement in foster and kinship care?
Children and youth in foster care
Permanency and Safety Among Children in Foster Family and Kinship Care
Foster care placement instability
Disruptions in foster care
Understanding Foster Placement Instability for Looked After Children
Toward a Definition of Mixed Methods Research
Systematic literature review of foster and adoptive caregiver factors for increasing placement stability and permanency
Breakdown of teenage placements in Swedish foster and residential care
Placement breakdowns in long‐term foster care – a regional S wedish study
Foster care placement breakdown in the N etherlands and F landers
Factors associated with placement breakdown initiated by foster parents – empirical findings from G ermany
Systematic Review of Kinship Care Effects on Safety, Permanency, and Well-Being Outcomes
Theorizing disability in child protection
Placement stability among children in kinship and non-kinship foster placements across multiple placements
What explains instability in foster care? Comparison of a matched sample of children with stable and unstable placements
Risk assessment for foster placement breakdown
Child, family and system variables associated to breakdowns in family foster care
Placement disruption in long-term kinship and nonkinship foster care
Foster care placement change
Arranging stability for children in long-term out-of-home care
Foster Carer Strain and its Impact on Parenting and Placement Outcomes for Adolescents
Placement Stability and Movement Trajectories
Using thematic analysis in psychology
| Unique citing works | 7 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 7 |
| Citation span | 2025 - 2026 (2) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 7 |