ABSTRACT
The selection of a suitable foster home for a child would be a relatively simple business if foster children and foster parents were simple in their emotional make-up. The foster parent who might give excellent care to one child may be so affected by a specific problem in another child that his behaviour is altered drastically. The fact that a child’s behaviour elicits the same kind of response from more than one adult should strongly suggest to us that the child is behaving purposefully, but unconsciously, in a way that elicits this kind of response because of his underlying need to recreate his early environment and pattern of relationships. In addition to normal good mothering, a child with this kind of problem needs a foster mother who, with help, is able to ignore the defensive pattern of behaviour, and who will feel comfortable and not need to interfere when the child turns to someone else.
