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Foster care for teenagers: Motivators, barriers, and strategies to overcome barriers

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  • Baer, Lauren
  • Diehl, David K.

Abstract

There has long been a shortage of homes for teenagers in foster care due in part to the reality that many people who foster choose not to foster teenagers. An understanding of factors that influence people's willingness to foster teenagers might support an increased supply of available homes for teenagers. Through this qualitative study, we explored why some foster parents are motivated to foster teenagers, what barriers prevent other foster parents from fostering teenagers, and whether there are effective strategies for foster parents to overcome barriers to fostering teenagers. The first author collected data through 19 semi-structured interviews with 16 foster parents and 6 foster care agency staff in Tennessee and used the constant-comparative method to analyze the data and allow grounded theory to emerge. Through this study, we found that people were motivated to foster teenagers by a combination of overarching motivators and teen-specific motivators. Overarching motivators, which influence people who do foster teenagers as well as those who do not, included making a difference and having a family. Financial compensation emerged as an overarching facilitator of fostering. Teen-specific motivators were both foster parent-oriented – ability, lifestyle, passion, preference, and satisfaction – and teenager-oriented – compassion and teenagers' progress. Key barriers to fostering teenagers were also foster parent-oriented – desire to raise children from a young age and preference – as well as teenager-oriented – bad experience, fear, and stereotyping. Strategies for foster parents to overcome barriers to fostering teenagers that emerged through this study were firsthand experience with teenagers in foster care, especially through respite care, and secondhand learning about things like trauma and youth's needs, and agencies are able to facilitate both types of strategies. These findings have implications for research, policy, and practice.

Suggested Citation

  • Baer, Lauren & Diehl, David K., 2019. "Foster care for teenagers: Motivators, barriers, and strategies to overcome barriers," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 264-277.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:103:y:2019:i:c:p:264-277
    DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2019.06.004
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Brown, Jason D. & Gerritts, Julie & Ivanova, Viktoria & Mehta, Nisha & Skrodzki, Donna, 2012. "Motives of aboriginal foster parents," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 34(7), pages 1298-1304.
    2. Daniel, Ellice, 2011. "Gentle iron will: Foster parents' perspectives," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(6), pages 910-917, June.
    3. De Maeyer, Skrallan & Vanderfaeillie, Johan & Vanschoonlandt, Femke & Robberechts, Marijke & Van Holen, Frank, 2014. "Motivation for foster care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 143-149.
    4. Cox, Mary Ellen & Orme, John G. & Kathryn W. & Rhodes, 2002. "Willingness to Foster Special Needs Children and Foster Family Utilization," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 24(5), pages 293-317, May.
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    1. Griffiths, Austin & Holderfield-Gaither, Emily & Funge, Simon P. & Warfel, Erin T., 2021. "Satisfaction, willingness, and well-being: Examining the perceptions of a statewide sample of public and private foster parents," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).
    2. Findley, Erin & Praetorius, Regina T., 2023. "Points of foster parent stress in the system: A qualitative interpretive meta-synthesis," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).

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