Examining of foster care services for children with traumatic experiences from the eyes of service providers: A pratice model proposal

The objective of this study is to evaluate the foster care service for children with traumatic experience through the eyes of service providers (professions, managers and representatives of the non-governmental organisations) and to develop an application model proposal pertaining to foster care service. It is also aimed to make the relations and interactions of the systems (child, biological family, foster family, profession, organizational structure and legal system) visible which affect the foster care service on the basis of ecosystem approach. In this context, the experiences of the children with traumatic experience and their adaptation to the foster family are examined from the perspective of the professions. The effect of the organizational structure and the legal system on the foster care processes of these children is revealed from the perspective of the managers working in the field of the foster care and the representatives of non-governmental organizations. Qualitative method was adopted as the research method, and it was aimed to grasp and describe the essence of the experience through in-depth interviews with individuals with shared experience. In this context, it is tried to reveal multiple perspectives of the service providers regarding the foster care service, the experiences and adaptations of the children with trauma specific to the children with trauma. 16 professions and 5 managers working in foster care services affiliated with Family, Labor and Social Services Provincial Directorates, and 3 non-governmental organization representatives working in foster care associations participated in this study. The study was carried out within the participation of 24 service providers in total. As data collection tool, separate semi-structured interview forms were used for professions and for managers and representatives of non-governmental organizations. In the findings of the study, 12 themes and 56 sub-themes related to these themes, which affect the foster care service for children with traumatic experience and their foster care processes and adaptations, were reached. In addition, micro, mezzo and macro level factors affecting the foster care processes of children with traumatic experience according to the ecosystem approach were determined. Micro level factors were listed as (1) the child's traumatic experience, (2) stress sources, (3) social supports, (4) coping methods, (5) triggering factors that remind trauma, (6) effects of traumatic experiences on the child, and (7) developmental characteristics of the child. Mezzo-level factors arose as (1) the relations and interactions of the child with biological family, foster family and professions, (2) characteristics of the biological family and its relations and interactions with the child, foster family and professions, (3) characteristics of the foster family and its relations and interactions with the child, biological family and professions, 4) the intervention of professions and their relations and interactions with the child, biological family and foster family, and 5) close social environment. On the other side, macro level factors were shaped on the basis of (1) the interactions of the child, biological family, foster family and professions systems with macro-level factors, and (2) strenghts and weaknesses of organizational structure and legal system pertaining to foster care service. Another study finding was the suggestions of managers and representatives of non-governmental organizations for the development of foster care service in the focus of traumatic experience. The findings of this study indicate that the practices of foster care for children with traumatic experience in Turkey are not different from the practices performed for other children. However, it is seen that these children are more vulnerable and need different and comprehensive support. Besides, in spite of the fact that foster care service practices in Turkey are required to be privatized for the children with traumatic experience, it is considered to provide opportunity for change, development and improvement for the children who are in this model. This situation shows that foster care service is a appropriate model for the treatment of trauma. On the other side, it is required to develop and strengthen the foster care model, to eliminate the deficiencies that occur, and to make the service more qualified. In this context, an application model is proposed to build a systematic structure that is appropriate for the treatment of the traumatic experience. Key Words: Ecosystem approach, foster family, foster care service, traumatic experience