Exploring the Experiences of Foster Parents Caring for Children with Complex Medical Needs: A Phenomenological Study

When children first enter the foster care system, most are placed in a foster home. These foster parents are tasked with ensuring the child is safe in a supportive environment designed to meet their emotional, healthcare, and educational needs. While no two children are the same, foster parents must learn the specific needs of each foster child placed in their home. This difficult task is further complicated when a foster child has a complex medical need. The objective of this study was to understand the lived experiences of foster parents who care for a child with a complex medical need. This study used a phenomenological approach, with semi-structured interviews, in exploring the experiences of eight foster parents through the lens of Ecological Systems Theory. Findings showed four themes across the participants: 1) how the foster parents acquired the skills and knowledge needed to care for their foster child with a complex medical need; 2) their interactions with the foster care system; 3) building a family; and 4) supporting the existing ties between the foster child and their birth parents. The findings from this study contribute to social work knowledge and practice by identifying; 1) the need for specially-tailored training programs for foster parents caring for children with complex medical needs; 2) when the caseworker lacks knowledge of the child’s disability it can negatively affect the support and services the child receives; 3) frequent child caseworker turnover and lack of communication can negatively affect the experiences of foster parents, and 4) foster parents may need the support of caseworkers to connect with birth parents. The study concludes with a discussion of the study’s limitations, and implications for social work practice, policy, and research.

Grantor dc:publisher

University of Kansas

Year dc:date.issued

2022

Author dc:creator

• Lassmann, Heather

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Akin, Becci

• Social work
• child welfare
• disability
• foster care
• foster parent
• phenomenology

Statement dc:rights

• This item is protected by copyright and unless otherwise specified the copyright of this thesis/dissertation is held by the author.

Language dc:language.iso

en

Dc Identifier Other

http://dissertations.umi.com/ku:18454

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:kuscholarworks.ku.edu:1808/36359