Sibling contact among children placed in different foster homes : mainly a literature study
Sibling relationships, sibling separation and the implications thereof have received secondary consideration compared to parent/child relationships in social work practice. This exploratory study examines sibling relationships and the separation of siblings in foster care. The researcher mainly made use of a literature survey and included a pilot study to evaluate the effectiveness of the 'Sibling Contact Day', a project run by Child Welfare Society, Cape Town. The researcher interviewed twenty siblings and their caregivers who participated in the project using a structured questionnaire. The literature available proved that sibling ties are important and have positive influences on human development. Sibling loyalties take years to develop and are stronger when the parental system is weak and sibling accessibility is high. Being separated from brother(s) and/sister(s) requires that sibling relationships have to be re-negotiated. It frequently implies the loosening of sibling ties and the reduction of closeness, which can severely affect the child's identity formation. Results of the pilot study revealed that 55% of the children were separated when they entered into foster care. Only 20% keep in regular contact with each other and 40% did not have contact with their sibling(s) before the 'Sibling Contact Day'. Most children responded positively to meeting their sibling(s). Although only 5% of the children kept in contact as a result of the 'Sibling Contact Day', it seems to justify the continuation of the project on a yearly basis.
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