Foster carers why they stay and why they leave - Sinclair, Ian (Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2004)
Includes bibliographical references (pages 181-184) and indexes
Background and introduction -- Who are the carers? -- Kinds of fostering -- Strains and satisfactions -- Who finds it easiest to foster -- Stressful "events" for foster carers -- Informal and formal support -- Continuing and ceasing to foster -- Explaining outcomes : putting the variables together -- Conclusion
Foster care, which can include both long- and short-term placements, is the most common way in which local authorities look after other people's children. Examining the problems and the positive experiences of those providing care, Foster Carers is essential reading for social work professionals, academics and foster carers themselves. Through questionnaire responses from over a thousand foster carers across seven different local authorities, the authors highlight the importance of identifying and fulfilling appropriate kinds of care; the need to recruit and retain carers; and, finally, examin