Benefits of foster care: Insights from foster care leavers and social workers in Tshwane District Municipality

Foster care aims to provide children with safety, health care, protection, and guidance. Despite its challenges, foster care in South Africa offers valuable benefits by providing vulnerable children with stable and nurturing environments that foster their development and enhance their educational and socio-emotional outcomes. This paper examines the benefits of foster care by exploring the experiences of foster care leavers and the perspectives of social workers in Tshwane District Municipality, Gauteng Province. In this study, the researcher employed a qualitative research approach. A total of 18 social workers and 18 foster care leavers were selected through a purposive sampling technique selected for the study. Data was collected using a semi-structured interview schedule, which allowed for in-depth exploration of participant’s experiences while providing the flexibility to probe further based on their responses. The findings highlight that foster care placements provide foster care leavers with essential support, including basic necessities, a family-like environment, improved relationships, independence, recreational opportunities, poverty reduction, therapeutic support, and educational benefits. The study suggests that the Department of Social Development should establish transition programs to support youth aging out of foster care, ensuring continued access to housing, education, and mental health services. The findings can assist policymakers in improving foster care policies to better support both foster care leavers and social workers, while also emphasising the need for further research on the long-term impact of foster care in South Africa. Key Words:Foster care, foster care placement, benefits, care leavers, social workers