Femke Vanschoonlandt

Development of an intervention for foster parents of young foster children with externalizing behavior: theoretical basis and program description.

Foster parents are often faced with serious externalizing behaviors of their foster child. These behavioral problems may induce family stress and are related to less effective parenting and often increase. Foster children with behavioral problems are also more at risk of placement breakdown. An intervention to support foster parents of young foster children with externalizing behaviors is necessary to improve the effectiveness of foster placements. Based on research on effective parenting interventions and special needs of foster children, a treatment protocol was developed. This paper describes theoretical foundations for the content and form of the intervention and gives an overview of the modular treatment protocol. Preliminary outcomes of this intervention as well as challenges and future developments and research activities are discussed.

Explorative study into support needs of caregivers in short-term foster care regarding problem behaviour and dealing with biological parents

Family supporting foster care (FSFC) is a directly accessible, short-term and preventive form of foster care for children under the age of 12. Caregivers in this type of foster care need comprehensive support to deal with their complex tasks. In this contribution, the support needs arising from the behaviour of the foster child as well as concerning dealing with the biological parents of 85 Flemish FSFC-parents are examined, as these are areas FSFC-parents specifically ask support for. These support needs are evaluated for possible links with child and foster parent characteristics. More experienced foster parents and foster parents with a foster child showing more externalising problem behaviour ask for more support in managing the childs behaviour.

Training in Nonviolent Resistance for Foster Parents A Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate a training in non-violent resistance (NVR) for foster parents who take care of a foster child (ages 6-18) with externalizing problem behavior. Methods: A randomized controlled trial was used to compare an intervention group (NVR, n = 31) with a treatment as usual control group (TAU, n = 31). The NVR-intervention consists of ten weekly home sessions. Measures regarding behavioral problems in foster children, parenting stress and parenting practices in foster mothers, and the size of the supportive network were assessed before, after treatment, and at three months follow-up. Results: NVR showed to be an acceptable approach that lead to an increase in experienced support and some promising changes in parenting stress and parenting practices. Conclusion: Implementation of this intervention might increase the effectiveness of foster care. More longitudinal research using a Multitrait-multimethod-approach is however needed.

2243 – Externalizing problems in young foster children: prevalence rates, predictors and service use

Objective Examining the prevalence of externalizing problems, its predictors and the mental health service use for these problems by foster children and foster parents in a representative group of foster children aged 3 to 12 in Flanders. Method Survey data were collected on 212 foster children, who had been in the foster family for approximately four months. Foster parents filled out a Child Behavior Checklist to measure foster children’s externalizing problems. Foster care workers reported on several potential risk variables for externalizing problems and on foster childrens and foster parents mental health service use. Predictors of externalizing problems were identified from a large number of variables using the method of purposeful selection of variables in logistic regression. Results 40.6% of the foster children had externalizing problems. Foster children who were placed because of behavioral problems and whose parents received home based family support prior to the out-of-home placement had more externalizing problems. Only 20.9% of the foster children with externalizing problems and only 13.9% of their foster parents received professional help. Conclusions This study showed that externalizing problems are prevalent in this young foster care population, that it is hard to predict which foster children had externalizing problems, and that foster children and their foster parents rarely receive services for these problems. These findings call for a standard protocol of assessment of foster children’s externalizing problems. Moreover, from a preventive viewpoint, guidelines are needed to systematically link young foster children with externalizing problems and their foster parents to appropriate services.

Traumatische gebeurtenissen en traumatische stresssymptomen bij pleegkinderen

Het trauma-perspectief wordt steeds meer gehanteerd in het begrijpen van problemen in het functioneren van pleegkinderen. In dit hoofdstuk wordt gerapporteerd over de eerste Vlaamse studie vanuit dit perspectief.