ABSTRACT
The scope of the tasks of the foster family does not differ much from the scope of the tasks of the natural family, because its special rights and duties include the provision of ongoing educational care to the child they have been entrusted with. In addition to the complications that accompany every upbringing process, there may be additional factors in the foster family related to the child’s adaptation difficulties or social maladjustment which arise in relation to traumatic experiences in the natural family.
Thus, the work of foster parents is not easy. It certainly requires patience and understanding. Restoring the proper direction of the child’s upbringing, restoring the child’s faith in adults and compensating for all basic needs become possible only in conditions of family warmth and kindness, love and care for the child. Therefore, the relationships between foster parents and children/wards were made the subject of further analyses.
Asked about the response and support from individuals close to them, the respondents indicated that their parents were happy for them and supported them in their daily functioning as a foster family (74%). This attitude is slightly less common among siblings (58.5%) and friends (60%).
The research also revealed a very diverse picture of the social perception of foster parents. The largest part (32%) viewed it as rather positive, but not many fewer (20%) as rather negative. However, it is puzzling that 31% of foster parents are unable to answer this question. It can be assumed that they have not yet encountered any striking reactions from their environment, for example, because they have been a foster parent for a short time only, or have experienced the same number of positive and negative reactions, which makes it difficult for them to make an unambiguous assessment.
Sixty-five per cent of the respondents are unable to assess which initiatives and actions taken for the benefit of foster families should be considered particularly valuable, and 6% believe that none are valuable. The most frequently indicated activities included: information campaigns in the media; establishing support groups; psychological and pedagogical support; training and workshops; support for institutions responsible for helping foster families; holiday trips for foster families.
