Abstract

Across the United Kingdom, fostering families provide care and stability to children who cannot live with their own families. Within these families are children of foster carers, whose every day normality is distinct to that of their non-fostering peers. The emotional and psychological challenges associated with the provision of foster care are complex, conflicting with conventional UK societal expectations of childhood experience. Contemporary research, and social care policy and practice, exhibit limited focus on exploring how children of foster carers navigate the complexities of fostering, and how this impacts them.

Rooted in narrative inquiry methodology, this qualitative research study explores the experiences of children of foster carers and examines practices in supporting them. It addresses gaps in research literature, whilst making recommendations for reforming policy and practice. The research is guided by three key research questions: (1) How are children of foster carers prepared for the realities of fostering and what are the implications of this? (2) How are children of foster carers impacted by placement endings? (3) What existing mechanisms are available for supporting children of foster carers and where can improvements be made?

In the study, 8 participants are recruited and purposively sampled based on the following criteria: aged between 12-25 years; residing in England and Wales; child of a registered or previously registered foster carer; experience of providing foster care. As the chosen method of data collection, semi-structured interviews are undertaken, with questions aligning to the research aims, encouraging participant experiential reflections. A layered thematic-narrative approach to analysis facilitates identification of broader themes, whilst providing contextual narrative depth, preserving the uniqueness of each participants’ experience. At each stage, findings are contextualised in broader theoretical frameworks, including Family Systems Theory (Bowen, 1978), and multidimensional frameworks of grief and loss (Boss, 1999; Kübler-Ross, 1969; Lindemann, 1944; Rando, 2000).

Analysis of participant transcripts reveal key findings - disaggregated into three themes: Narratives Shaping the Fostering Experience; Anticipating and Experiencing Placement Endings; Support Systems and Adaptation Strategies. The adopted thematic-narrative lens highlights commonalities in how fostering experience impacts and shapes the lives and relationships of children of foster carers, whilst capturing the uniqueness of each voice within their storied narratives. Insights provided by children of foster carers deepens understanding of their experiences, emphasising the necessity for targeted support which recognises them as active participants in the fostering role.