by Jennifer Benner, LCSW-C
Online ahead of print. This article will appear in Children’s Voice, Volume 34, Number 2.
Our work in child- and family-serving organizations is important, but why we do it influences all aspects of our work. Why do people become resource (foster) parents, why do they remain resource parents, and what do child- and family-serving agencies do to motivate, engage, and support them along the way to fuel their spark? Here, we will identify reasons resource families start fostering, review opportunities to support their motivations throughout their fostering journey and consider strategies to sustain their motivation and commitment.
First, let’s acknowledge that the “what” of fostering gets most of the focus: What are resource families expected to provide in terms of food, hygiene, family visits, meetings, supervision, school, doctor’s visits, therapy? However, the “why,” which is often overlooked, is what can help drive the fulfillment of all those expectations.
What is your “why”? What motivated you to enter child welfare and fostering work? You may know someone who said, “I could never do that” or “you’re an angel for taking on this work.” They may even ask if you’re ever afraid to work with children with extreme behaviors, mental health concerns, or family trauma. There may be people in your life who don’t understand, make incorrect assumptions, create awkward situations, or question why someone would want to foster a child. New resource parents must consider and know their “why.” When they have a clear “why,” they are better able to respond to others in their lives. They need to know their motivations and be comfortable sharing their reasons for entering this important work when they begin the process of becoming a resource parent.
Finding the Right Fit
There are several typical points in a resource family’s journey at which stopping to focus on motivations makes sense. The first opportunity is during the family’s initial interview and application process. During the interview, prospective parents should be asked why they are interested in fostering and how and whether the agency’s aims align with the family’s mission and values.
Sometimes, there are initial “why” red flags. If child welfare workers have initial concerns about a new parent’s motivation to foster, then they should assess, discuss, or even delay the start of their training to get more information or make referrals. When we see red flags, we explore further and decide whether to move forward with the prospective resource family. It is our responsibility to share the realities of fostering so that misconceptions can be dispelled prior to inviting a new family to participate in training.
During the training and home study process, we should continue to explore a new parent’s motivation. We can invite experienced resource parents to talk about why they foster and share their own experiences—reflections on their “why,” how to prepare their children and family for intrusive questions, and how to maintain comfort for all the children in their care.
Throughout the preservice training process, we are given many chances to consider a resource parent’s motivation and learn how to best support them at the start of their fostering journey. In general, people tend to let their guard down as they become more comfortable; as our relationship progresses through training, we can better understand prospective resource parents and determine whether their motivations continue to make sense over time. Parents’ motivations are explored with more depth and are documented in the home study; outside references are also asked whether prospective resource parents have shared their reasons for why they want to foster. By the end of training and the conclusion of the home study, we can confirm whether prospective resource parents have the basic knowledge and skills to foster—and the commitment and willingness needed to care for kids.
Sustaining Motivation to Foster
Once resource parents are certified, collaborating agencies must consider how they are going to support these families, keeping both new and experienced families engaged so their motivational spark doesn’t fizzle. Ideas to consider may include providing monthly in-service trainings, support groups or mentoring programs, employee assistance program services, events to build support networks, or acts of recognition. Child welfare agencies should strive to support parents in staying motivated and reminding them of why they chose to foster, even when they are faced with challenges.
Finally, we consider departure. There are many reasons why resource parents stop working with a child welfare agency: adoptions, retirement after many years of service, termination due to policy infractions, household changes. We know that even though they are ending the relationship, many families still have the desire to continue supporting kids in care. During an exit Interview with resource parents, it is helpful for the child welfare contact to explore what went well, what didn’t go well, and what shifted the parent’s motivation to stop fostering. Resource families, if appropriate, should also be asked how they would like to stay involved with the child welfare organization; perhaps they would still like to receive newsletters, speak at trainings, assist with community outreach, attend fundraising events, or do resource parent recruitment. Perhaps they might still be willing to share their “why” with others and help support fostering in other ways.
Successful programs want the “why” of their resource parents to be strengthened over time, shared with others, and rekindled when needed. The more we can support our parents’ “why,” the better the outcomes will be for children and families.
Jennifer Benner, LCSW-C, is the Manager of Pre-Service Training for Pressley Ridge, a national leader in treatment foster care. Jennifer specializes in training and fidelity of the PR-TFC Pre-Service Curriculum and regularly presents at national conferences to share her 25 years of expertise in child welfare.