Original scientific paper
The experience of foster care for children from the perspective of an expert in the social welfare system
Maja Laklija
orcid.org/0000-0002-2580-4983
; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Law, Study od Social Work
Lidija Petrović
; Ombudsman For Children Office
Abstract
The goal of the research is to gain insight into the experience of foster care from the perspective of experts employed in the Croatian Institute for Social Work and institutions for children without adequate parental care. The research was conducted on a sample of experts
employed by the Croatian Institute for Social Work in Zagreb, Rijeka and Osijek (N=9) and institutions for children without adequate parental care in Zagreb, Sisak-Moslavina, Split-Dalmatia and Osijek-Baranja Counties (N=8). A qualitative research was conducted. The data were collected using the semi-structured interview method and analyzed using thematic analysis. The results show that experts describe their experience of foster care through the experience of the underdevelopment and insufficient investment of the system in the development of quality foster care, existing trends in the practice of placing children in alternative care, the position of children in the process of changing the form of alternative care, the experience of contact and characteristics of cooperation between experts and foster parents. The results also, in the part of recommendations, state specific guidelines for the improvement and development of the foster care system for children, as well as the quality of support for foster parents, biological families and children.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
319794
URI
Publication date:
29.12.2023.
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