The master’s thesis discusses the presentation of mutual cooperation between the social work center (CSD), family of origin, and foster family and enlightens the needs, barriers, and proposals which could lead to tighter cooperation. Thus, the measure of foster care could be shorter. The theoretical part of the master’s thesis includes the legislative arrangement of foster care. It presents the tasks and the duties of the CSD, duties of the foster carer, and the importance of respecting the voice of a child in foster care. The issues of long-term foster care and the definitions of various experts about the foster care follow. The master’s thesis researches the cooperation between the CSD, the foster family, and the family of origin of a child. It also researches the role of the social pedagogue and his place in the field of foster care.
In the empirical part, the qualitative research was performed with regards to theoretical starting points, for which the semi-structured interview was used. The sample of the research includes two professional workers from the two social work centers, two families of origin, and two foster families of children, these two professional workers cooperate with. The research embraces the perspective on mutual cooperation of all the three actors which cooperate in the research. It also illuminates the general experiences of the social workers in working with the families in the field of foster care. The ascertainments of the research show that motivating the family of origin for cooperation and being included in the forms of assistance represents a great challenge to the professional workers. The parents are motivated the most in the field of performing contacts with children. On the contrary, foster families show greater motivation and readiness to cooperate with the CSD and the family of origin. In the process, they point out the importance of the respectful and equal relationship with the parents. The discussion partners take a positive position about the long-term foster care if the latter is beneficial for the child. However, they believe that more active mutual cooperation, more support, and greater motivation of the family of origin could contribute to shorter stay of a child in the foster care. Additional counseling service or a neutral professional worker would be of assistance. The latter could approach and motivate the parents more successfully in their position, in comparison to the professional workers of the CSD. On the other hand, the families also miss more accessibility and mutual cooperation from the CSD. The latter should maintain the cooperation continuously. The results enlighten also the needs of foster mothers, such as additional counseling service and the opportunity of including the partners of foster mothers in education. The results give an insight into the needs and proposals which could be guidance for a tighter cooperation between the CSD, the family of origin, and the foster family. In addition, the research contributes to the development of the directives of placing the social pedagogue in the field of foster care which is shown – in addition to the cooperation with families at the CSD – is also shown in nongovernmental organizations, projecting work, and in the integration of families of origin into the community.
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