Master's thesis researches the experiences of children in foster care, who are torn between the biological family and foster family. In the theoretical part of the thesis I will first touch upon the meaning of family in modern society, present the pluralization of forms of family life, identify vulnerable families, their needs and professional responses. I also consider the biological family of children in foster care to be vulnerable. Furthermore, I explore the system of foster care in Slovenia and present the role of the Foster Society of Slovenia. I also try to determine what the specifics of children living between two families are and how they are reflected in their behaviour. I touch on the identity and self-image of children in foster care and present a way of supporting them in forming a positive self-image. The concept of co-creation and cooperation between foster and parent families is highlighted, within which I present the importance of working relationships and individual project teams. I also emphasize the child's participation in the foster care system and present his voice as a key part of the collaborative process. I substantiate the exposed problem of children’s needs going unheard by presenting a legislative basis that enables children's participation. Within the theoretical part, I also present the findings of some existing Slovenian and foreign foster care research. In the empirical part of the master's thesis, I gain insight into the relationships, tribulations and problems that children, foster parents and biological parents allegedly bring to bear from the flawed foster care system in Slovenia. The research approach is qualitative, and a semi-structured interview is used to collect the data. The interviews were conducted with three children, three biological parents and three foster parents. The collected data are analysed using the content analysis method.
The results of the study show that a child's transition from biological to foster family depends on the situation and age of the child, as well as on the child's own character, experiences and deficiencies in the biological family that led the child to foster care. Just like the transition itself, children and adolescents experience foster families differently. In a family where children have a positive foster care experience, a loving and supportive environment and support from foster parents and their biological children can be perceived. However, some cases from the interviews point out that not all foster families are functional and they do not provide children with an experience of connection and safety. Consequently, children in such foster families do not feel loved and understood. Knowing their roots and their biological family is also of great importance for the child. By understanding the situation and their own position, children form a relationship with their biological parents. Feelings of confusion and division make it difficult for children in a foster family to develop a sense of home and belonging, which is crucial for the development of children's healthy personality and positive attitude towards themselves and others. The quality of cooperation between the foster parent and the biological family is also influencing the child's experience of division. Good cooperation is based on genuine, human attitude and a positive attitude without accusations. Cooperation is largely dependent on the encouragement and support of professional services, and is often based solely on individual project teams. However, it takes time to achieve quality cooperation between families. The results of the research also highlight some shortcomings of the foster care system in our country. The problems of long-term foster care, the fact that children’s needs often go unheard and the lack of work and cooperation with biological parents are emphasized. Research finding also offer suggestions provided for regulating and improving the situation of children in foster care and the entire field of foster care in Slovenia.
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