Foster care, which is a state measure to protect children who cannot live with their biological family for a certain period, is a well-known practice in Slovenia as well. Foster care is supposed to be a short-term process: during foster care, children live with an alternative family, separated from their biological family, and the entire process is led by a centre for social work. As other parties involved in the process, foster mothers face many challenges, where they need additional support and assistance. They must raise children and collaborate with their biological family as well as with representatives from the centre for social work. As foster mothers are a central element in taking care of children in foster care and accomplishing the purpose of foster care, I decided to examine their views on maintaining relationships between children in foster care and their biological family.
The questions of the empirical part examine the views of foster mothers on maintaining relationships between children in foster care and their biological family. The research is comprised of questions addressing how collaborating with biological families and impact of these relationships on children is perceived by foster mothers. The research also presents the views of foster mothers on their role in encouraging and maintaining contact between children in foster care and their biological family. It also discusses financial recourses, available to foster mothers, and presents the evaluation of social workers from centres for social work. I believe that collaboration with biological families very positively affects the entire process of foster care as long as children are not in danger.
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