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

EBP in Foster Parent Training and SupportEvidence-Based Practice in Foster Parent Training and Support:Implications for Treatment Foster Care ProvidersSection I: Evidence-Based Practice in Foster Parent TrainingReview of LiteratureTreatment foster care (TFC) is a rapidly expanding alternative child welfare and childmental health service for meeting the needs of children and adolescents with serious levels ofemotional, behavioral, and medical problems, and their families. Treatment foster care programsprovide intensive, foster family-based, individualized services to children, adolescents, and theirfamilies as an alternative to more restrictive residential placement options. Research on TFCindicates that it is less expensive, is able to place more children in less restrictive settings atdischarge (with increased permanency), and produces greater behavioral improvements in thechildren served than residential treatments (Hudson, Nutter, & Galaway, 1994; Meadowcroft,Thomlison, & Chamberlain, 1994; Reddy & Pfeiffer, 1997).The role of foster parents in TFC programs is complex. Much like traditional fosterparents, TFC foster parents are responsible for providing daily care to children placed in theirhomes. However, unlike traditional foster parents (who have little to no responsibility forproviding treatment to their foster children) TFC foster parents are viewed as the primarytreatment agents. TFC foster parents are responsible for providing active, structured treatment forfoster children and youth within their foster family homes (FFTA, 2008). Because of thissignificant responsibility and the high level of emotional, behavioral, and medical problems forCenter for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare (CASCW)University of Minnesota School of Social WorkContact: Kristine N. Piescher, Ph.D. kpiesche@umn.edu 10