ABSTRACT
The objective of pedagogical research is to scientifically examine an actual, empirically existing social reality, for example, to describe a phenomenon, institution or individual. Apart from its cognitive function, pedagogical research also performs practical and utilitarian functions. The objective of research in the present study is to examine the significance of the foster family in caring for the welfare of the orphaned child as well as to explore the pedagogical and social perspectives of the development of foster families.
The conducted studies focused, among others, on the functioning of foster families in terms of performing the care and education tasks they are entrusted with, as well as on their expectations and the difficulties they face in their parenting work. Furthermore, the research sought to identify the motives that led the examined parents to start a foster family, as well as to determine the skills they possess and the competencies they have acquired that form the foundation of their successful care and education activities. The study also intended to demonstrate how foster families and foster parents satisfy the basic needs of children under their care. Research results in the indicated areas will provide a basis for developing practical suggestions and conclusions for the care and education activities of foster families as well as facilities and institutions that support them.
A fundamental element of every scientific study is to determine the research problem, which methodological literature most often describes as a certain question or a set of questions that are to be answered thanks to the conducted research. In general terms, a research problem is a question or questions that specify the extent of the knowledge gap in a given area and to which the researcher looks for answers.
Thus, the study was oriented by the main research problem expressed in the following question: What is the significance of the foster family in caring for the welfare of the orphaned child?
The assumed hypothesis that foster family supports a child’s integral development, providing him or her with suitable conditions for everyday existence and schooling and favours his or her proper socialisation was verified using the survey method. This method is a way of gathering knowledge about structural and functional attributes and dynamics of social phenomena, opinions and views of selected communities, the intensity and directions of development of specific phenomena and any other phenomena based on a specially selected group representing the general population in which the studied phenomenon occurs.
During the process of preparing the research, in addition to selecting an appropriate method, it is also important to choose the right research technique. As part of the survey method, a questionnaire was used as a research technique. It is a technique in which, in most cases, the respondent fills in a specific, usually highly standardised questionnaire by themselves, in the presence of or without the participation of the researcher.
The research was conducted using an original questionnaire addressed to foster parents, which contained 40 questions, including 3 open, 27 semi-open and 10 closed questions. The questionnaire specified the subject of the research and explained what the study would concern, as well as what the information would be used for. In addition, respondents were assured of full anonymity of the research.
The analysis of the survey questions was carried out by calculating the number and percentage of occurrences of each answer. Comparison of responses in groups was performed using the chi-square test (with Yates’ correction for 2 x 2 tables) or Fisher’s exact test where low expected values appeared in the tables. In the analysis, the significance level was assumed at 0.05. Thus, all p-values below 0.05 were interpreted as indicating significant dependencies. The analysis was performed in R, version 4.1.3.
The use of the diagnostic survey method and the questionnaire as a research technique together with a properly developed questionnaire allowed the authors to gain knowledge about the examined phenomenon and describe it in the context of the selected fragment of reality.
