Evidence-Based Practice in Foster Parent Training and Support ...

EBP in Foster Parent Training and Supportprovided support are viewed as helpful, foster/adoptive parents frequently turn to indigenoussources of support networks.Results of interventions for enhancing foster parents’ levels of social support are mixed.A recent study indicated that a support enhancing intervention increased the levels of socialsupport among caregivers of children with HIV/AIDS (Hansell et al., 1998). Additionally, an onlinetraining program has been shown to be effective in increasing self-efficacy, teachingcomputer skills, enhancing social support, and building common ground between children andkinship caregivers (Strozier et al., 2004).However, another study found that even when providedwith increased internet access, the frequency of using online social support is low for foster careparents and youth. Only a minority of parents and children increased their use of the internet togive and receive help, communicate with other foster families, and e-mail with their foster careworker (Finn & Kerman, 2004).In sum, it is important to have professional staff who have training regarding sensitivityand understanding toward, and who can create and support a working relationship with, TFCproviders. Providing agency-based sources of social support as well as helping TFC providersbuild informal (more home-based) sources of support may be critical to helping foster parentsfeel supported and satisfied. No specific model of social support has been formally evaluated;there is a need for developing and testing models that may promote and/or enhance the socialsupport of TFC providers.Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare (CASCW)University of Minnesota School of Social WorkContact: Kristine N. Piescher, Ph.D. kpiesche@umn.edu 111