A systematic review of foster parent preservice training

Abstract

Abstract Preservice training is unique in that foster parents must be prepared to manage multiple demands that they may not truly understand the scope of (e.g., caring for a child with behavioral problems, managing home visits and court dates). There have been a number of review articles focused on foster parent training; however, there has been insufficient focus on preservice foster parent training. The purpose of this systematic review was to examine the type, format and content/competencies of published foster parent preservice training, study characteristics of published preservice training research, and the methodological characteristics and primary findings of published foster parent preservice training research. Eleven studies were identified from a systematic search of multiple relevant databases and secondary searches. Multiple results are discussed in this systematic review. Findings highlight the need for continued development of preservice training in regards to identifying essential content, addressing the needs of diverse foster parents (including relative and non-relatives), conducting more current and rigorous evaluation, and providing a stronger connection to enhanced child outcomes as a result of training. The nature of preservice foster parent training makes evaluation more challenging, and the work that has been completed is commendable. However, it is concerning that, compared to other widely used foster parenting interventions and the ubiquity of preservice training, there is sparse amount of publicly available research available on preservice training.