Identifying and Attracting Exceptional Foster Carers: Preliminary Insights Melanie Randle, Leonie Miller & Sara Dolnicar, University of Wollongong Joseph

Identifying and Attracting Exceptional Foster Carers: Preliminary Insights

Melanie Randle, Leonie Miller & Sara Dolnicar, University of WollongongJoseph Ciarrochi, University of Western Sydney

Chris Stubbs & Lisa Loveday, CareSouth

21 August 2012

Acknowledgements

• Funding: Australian Research Council Linkage Grant Scheme

• Industry partner: CareSouth• Collaborating partners:

– CatholicCare/Centacare– William Campbell Foundation– Marymead– St Joseph’s Cowper

– Mallee Family Care– Youthcare UPA– Anglicare– Stretch-a-family

Background

• Importance of carers in high quality outcomes for foster children

• Matching needs of child to skills of carer• Most agencies facing the challenge of attracting

sufficient, and high-quality, foster carers• Until now community-wide, generic calls for foster

carers• Value of applying marketing concepts to address the

problem of recruitment

Foster carer research

• Most research from perspective of child welfare, social work• Focus on children, outcomes• Most attempts to describe foster carers group them together

as one homogeneous group– no consideration of quality– not split by role – despite evidence of differences (e.g. Social Role

Theory)– no comparison with other groups

• If we knew which types of people make exceptional carers we could target them specifically with marketing and communications strategies

Prior researchfactors relating to the foster carer

experience/history

how became a carer

length of time caring

type of care provided

number of placements

number of foster children

agencies cared for

training completed

motivations sense of competence

foster carer self-efficacy

satifaction with caring role

context

family/social support

parenting style/ parental monitoring

family coping

personal characteristics

psychological characteristics

hope

problem solving

forgivness

coping

empathy

faith

happiness

life satisfaction

socio-demographic characteristics

age, sex

education

employment status

income / financial strain

relationship and family status

ancestry

location of residence

religion

• Programme of foster care research

• Qualitative investigation• Interviews with foster

care experts, carers, biological families, psychologists

• Model of foster placement success: factors relating to the child, the agency and the carer

Research aims

1. Identify differences in the types of individuals who make exceptional foster carers

a) Personal characteristicsb) Factors relating to the placementc) Motivations

2. Identify strategies most likely to attract thema) Key messagesb) Communications channelsc) System factors

Data collection

• Sample– current foster carers with a range of agencies; and– their caseworkers

• Fieldwork conducted May-August 2011– carers: online or paper version (50-60 minutes)– caseworkers: online (5-10 minutes)

• Recruitment– approached numerous foster care agencies requesting

support– agency invited carers to participate– carers and caseworkers gave individual consent

Measures

• Carers questionnaire– experience history: number of placements, years caring etc.– motivations: list of 28 reasons– sense of competence: self efficacy, satisfaction with caring– context: family/social support, parenting style, family coping– personal characteristics

• psychological measures– hope, problem solving, forgiveness, coping, empathy, life satisfaction, faith– pre-developed, validated scales

• socio-demographics– age, sex, income, education, employment status, relationship status– mostly consistent with ABS measures

• media usage

Measures

• Caseworkers questionnaire– casework experience/history– perceived behaviour/needs of child– single item measures of carer psychological measures– perceived match and relationship quality– foster carer efficacy– overall assessment of carer

Measures

• Caseworkers questionnaire– casework experience/history– perceived behaviour/needs of child– single item measures of carer psychological measures– perceived match and relationship quality– foster carer efficacy– overall assessment of carer

Overall, and considering all of the foster carers you know/have known, which of the following best describes [Carer Name] as a foster carer? Extremely good, one of the best I have known Very good Average Not very good Extremely bad, one of the worst I have known

Analysis

• Caseworker ratings of carer quality used to define– exceptional carers and others– examined females and males separately

• Questionnaire measures examined for differences between groups– caseworker ratings on other aspects of carer role– carer self-report measures

• Results reported are significant at the 1% level– trends are reported at the 2% level

• Who are the carers?

Sample description

Females (71)– 51 partnered, 20 single or not

cohabitating with partner– all but one are the primary carer– mean age 48.10– average foster caring for 6.12 yrs– prefer long-term placements

(61/71)– median 3 placements

Males (46)– all partnered– none primary carer, one shares

the primary role– mean age 49.15 yrs– average foster caring for 6.76 yrs– prefer long-term placements

(35/46)– median 3 placements

Note: 38 couples within the data set (1 divorced sharing placement)

Sample description

• Who are the caseworkers?– 34 caseworkers

• average experience 2.34 years (range 6 weeks – more than 10 years)

– rated 59 placements within the carer set• average 1.74 placements per caseworker (range 1-5)• average time case-managing placement 1.16 years (range 1 month – 4.5

years)

– caseworker ratings obtained for• 37 placements with both male and female carers • 22 other placements

– 8 other placements with male and female carers where » female carer rated only 7» male carer rated only 1

– 14 placements with a single carer (or in non-cohabitating relationship)» female carer 14

Sample description

• Who are the agencies?

– CareSouth Wollongong (19)– CareSouth Nowra (14)– CatholicCare Wollongong (20)– CatholicCare Campbelltown (3)– Centacare Broken Bay (4)– CatholicCare Bankstown (3)

– William Campbell Foundation (7)– Marymead Foster Care (19)– St Joseph’s Cowper (2)– Mallee Family Care (1)– Youthcare UPA Lismore (2)– Anglicare South Coast (1)– Stretch-a-family (1)

Sample description

• Placement characteristics– 30 females, 29 males– average age of child in care 9.84 years (range 3 months – 18

years)– average placement length 2.88 years (range < 4 weeks – 14.5

years)– ethnic background

• 9 Aboriginal, 46 Australian , 1 Croatian , 1 English, 2 Filipino

– average behaviour relative to typical children of same age* (1 – extremely challenging to 4 – less challenging than average)

• 2.75 (between average and challenging) (range 1-4)

* Rated by caseworker

Sample description

• Placement characteristics– average needs relative to typical children of same age* (1 –

very high to 5 – very low)• 2.66 (between high and average) (range 1-5)

– 49 cases without disability– 1 case with physical disability– 6 cases intellectual/emotional disability– 2 cases both physical and intellectual/emotional– number of placements (including current placement)

• 3.19 (range 1- >20)

* Rated by caseworker

1. Who are the exceptional carers? (females)

a) Personal characteristics

Self-ratingsEmotions: when upset feel out of ↓

control*Relationships: love for partner ↑Parenting: don’t think of as ↓

responsible for telling children what to do*

Family coping: post-problem solving ↓ discussions with

family*

Caseworker ratingsPsychological characteristics

- empathy ↑- happiness ↑- forgiveness* ↑- optimism ↑- problem solving ↑- life satisfaction ↑

Good relationships- partner/spouse ↑- family ↑

Parenting: flexible ↑ * trend onlyGreen text: differences from males

1. Who are the exceptional carers? (males)

a) Personal characteristics

Self-ratingsEmpathy: not usually aware of ↓

friends feelings*Forgiveness: justice more important

↓ than mercySocial support

- special person who cares ↑ about my feelings- can talk about problems ↑ with my friends

Caseworker ratingsPsychological characteristics

- empathy ↑- happiness ↑- optimism ↑- problem solving ↑

Social support- family and friends ↑

Socio-demographicsEducation level ↑

* trend onlyGreen text: differences from females

1. Who are the exceptional carers? (females)

b) Factors relating to foster caring

Self-ratingsMatch with the child ↑Child

- closeness with child ↑- values relationship with me ↑

See role more like a parent ↑Support from other foster carers* ↑Satisfaction

- with allowance received ↑- with relationship with agency ↑- with caseworker assistance* ↑

Caseworker ratingsMatch with the child ↑Relationship with child

- affectionate and warm ↑- healthy relationship* ↑

Able to cope with problems/challenges ↑

* trend onlyGreen text: differences from males

1. Who are the exceptional carers? (males)

b) Factors relating to foster caring

Self-ratingsMatch with the child ↑Foster child

- many fears or easily scared ↓- seeks comfort from me ↑ when upset*- uncomfortable with ↓ physical attention/touch*- behavioural/emotional issues

↓Agency

- training opportunities ↑- relationship with agency ↑

Caseworker ratingsMatch with the child ↑Relationship with child

- affectionate and warm ↑- healthy relationship* ↑

Psychological characteristics- able to cope with problems/challenges ↑- confidence as a carer* ↑

Satisfaction in role as carer ↑

* trend onlyGreen text: differences from females

1. Who are the exceptional carers?

c) Motivations: classifications

1. Foster care is something I can choose to be a part ofi. It gives me the chance to help a

child in needii. To give something back to

societyiii. It will give me the chance to

contribute to my community iv. I am a foster carer instead of

having a paid job v. Because of the payment I

receive for being a carer vi. It allows me to stay at home

whilst still earning moneyvii. Because foster care is such a big

problem and I want to help solve it











2. I feel I should be involved with foster carei. There is no

one else to take care of the child

ii. I feel I should help those less fortunate than myself














3. I am suited to the role of foster careri. Because I was a foster child and I want to help

other foster childrenii. Because I had a difficult childhood and I want to

help another child experiencing similar difficulty iii. I do not have any children of my own iv. My own children are grown and have left homev. I think I have the skills to do a good job vi. I want to have children but cannot have any of

my ownvii. A foster child is a good companion for meviii. Having a foster child helps solve the problems in

my relationshipix. A foster child helps me out around the housex. It helps my financial situationxi. I knew the children before they were in foster

care xii. A foster child provides company for my own

child














3. I am suited to the role of foster careri. Because I was a foster child and I want to help

other foster childrenii. Because I had a difficult childhood and I want to

help another child experiencing similar difficulty iii. I do not have any children of my own iv. My own children are grown and have left homev. I think I have the skills to do a good job vi. I want to have children but cannot have any of

my ownvii. A foster child is a good companion for meviii. Having a foster child helps solve the problems in

my relationshipix. A foster child helps me out around the housex. It helps my financial situationxi. I knew the children before they were in foster

care xii. A foster child provides company for my own

child

4. Being a foster carer helps me express who I ami. I want to help children get a better start in

life ii. I want to save a child from a bad future iii. I think I can change a child’s life for the

betteriv. Because I feel sorry for these children who

are born into bad situationsv. It is a very satisfying and rewarding thing to

dovi. It keeps me young at heartvii. I genuinely enjoy being with children


c) Motivations – all carers

Choose foster care Should be involved Suited to foster care Express who I am0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Female

Male


c) Motivations – exceptional carers


10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Female

Male




10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Female

Male

I want to help children get a better start in lifeI think I can change a child’s life for the better

It is a very satisfying and rewarding thing to do




10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Female

Male



I think I have the skills to do a good job

I want to have children but cannot have any of my own




10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Female

Male



I think I have the skills to do a good job]

It gives me the chance to help a child in need

I want to have children but cannot have any of my own

2. How do we attract them?

a) Females

ProfileAge: 46.35 (range 33-58)Experience: 3.81 years (range 0.75-

12.5)Education: average approx Certificate

level (range below yr10-post grad)

Household income: average $62K-$88K (range $26K-$224K+)

Home ownership: most own home

Communication channelsRadio: 6-9am, mostly in the car, easy

listening/top 40 pop radioTV: 6-9pm, WIN/Prime/ABCInternet: email, social networking,

planning/booking holidays

System factorsAgency relationship/supportSupport from other carers


a) Females

Motivating communicationsKey messages

- express who I am: emphasise the difference foster carers can make in the lives of foster children; personally satisfying and rewarding role- suited to the role: reassurance of having the skills to do a good job- choose foster care: this is your chance to help

Imagery- good relationships with partner/family- happiness/optimism/life satisfaction- close/affectionate relationship with child


b) Males

ProfileAge: 44.13 (range 33-53)Experience: 4.38 years (range 0.75-9.5)Education: average Bachelor’s degree

(range Certificate-post grad)Household income: average $88K-

$129K (range $42K-$224K+)Home ownership: most own home

Communication channelsRadio: 6-9am, mostly in the car,

news/current affairs/talkbackTV: 6-9pm, WIN/Prime/ABCInternet: email, news/current affairs,

internet banking, online education

System factorsTraining opportunities


b) Males

Motivating communicationsKey messages

- express who I am: helping children get a better start to life, changing a child’s life for the better- suited to the role: ability to relate to foster children’s situations

Imagery- social support: friends, partner – can talk about feelings- confidence in role as carer- satisfied with role as carer- comforting role as foster carer- affectionate/warm relationship with child

Key findings

• Value in segmenting the market of foster carers to customise and target marketing efforts

• Are differences in the characteristics of exceptional male and female carers

• Where there is a partner relationship there is a high correlation between male and female carers

• Communications with different messages are likely to be more or less meaningful and motivating

• Different channels are likely to reach males and females

Limitations and future research

• Limitations– sample size– recruitment method – possible bias towards good carers,

carers with good relationship with agency– carers in the sample are generally rated highly by

caseworkers

• Future research– longitudinal study of carers/caseworkers

• other measures of “exceptional” carers• predictors of placement breakdown

– single versus partnered carers

Thank you.

Questions?

Documents

Identifying and Attracting Exceptional Foster Carers: Preliminary Insights Melanie Randle, Leonie Miller & Sara Dolnicar, University of Wollongong Joseph