Nya villkor för ett gammalt problem

Familjehemsrekrytering i en tid av privatisering och professionalisering

Abstract

New conditions for an old problem: foster care recruitment in an era of privatisation and professionalisation

Foster care is the most common intervention for children who are placed in out-of-home care. At the same time, there are recurrent discussions about difficulties in recruiting foster homes. The preconditions for recruitment have changed and today, there is an increased competition for foster homes between municipalities and private businesses, stricter requirements placed on foster parents and changes in the needs of children placed in care. The aim of the article is to analyse the recruitment of foster homes in light of these changed preconditions. Empirically, the article is based on a survey targeting Swedish municipalities. The findings show, that although a majority of the municipalities have employees particularly responsible for recruitment, small municipalities often lack such resources. Further on, almost three quarters of the municipalities state that it is difficult or very difficult to recruit foster homes. For example, answers to the survey’s open questions demonstrate that competition from other municipalities and private companies affects recruitment. Further on, the municipality’s reputation is considered an important factor for attracting new foster homes. Finally, it appears to be difficult for municipalities to recruit a varied supply of foster homes and, in particular, homes that can care for children with special needs. The findings are discussed in relation to previous international and Swedish research. Finally, suggestions regarding how recruitment may be improved are presented.