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Ferreira, S., Magalhães, E., Pinto, V. S. & Graça, J. (2025). Why do people become foster parents and how to recruit new families? A multi-informant study. Children and Youth Services Review. 177

S. S. Ferreira et al.,  "Why do people become foster parents and how to recruit new families? A multi-informant study", in Children and Youth Services Review, vol. 177, 2025

@article{ferreira2025_1766124282329,
	author = "Ferreira, S. and Magalhães, E. and Pinto, V. S. and Graça, J.",
	title = "Why do people become foster parents and how to recruit new families? A multi-informant study",
	journal = "Children and Youth Services Review",
	year = "2025",
	volume = "177",
	number = "",
	doi = "10.1016/j.childyouth.2025.108460",
	url = "https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/children-and-youth-services-review"
}

TY  - JOUR
TI  - Why do people become foster parents and how to recruit new families? A multi-informant study
T2  - Children and Youth Services Review
VL  - 177
AU  - Ferreira, S.
AU  - Magalhães, E.
AU  - Pinto, V. S.
AU  - Graça, J.
PY  - 2025
SN  - 0190-7409
DO  - 10.1016/j.childyouth.2025.108460
UR  - https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/children-and-youth-services-review
AB  - The shortage of foster families in child protection systems worldwide is a critical issue that requires a deeper understanding of culturally situated approaches to recruit new families. This study aimed to explore public awareness of foster care, examine barriers and enablers to becoming a foster family, and draw on behavioural theory to inform the development of outreach and recruitment strategies. Data were collected through semi-structured individual interviews with 29 participants (14 foster parents, 15 staff; Portugal) and subjected to a thematic analysis. The results suggested that there was limited public knowledge about foster care. Becoming a foster parent was linked both with reflective motivational processes (e.g., child-centred motivations) and the availability of multidimensional resources (e.g., social support), but multi-level constraints were identified as barriers to becoming a foster parent (e.g., worries related to the foster child). Integrated outreach strategies (e.g., combining tailored and mass media approaches) with a range of communication channels and vehicles may raise awareness and enable the recruitment of more foster families. Participants indicated that message content should involve system-related information and evidence about the positive impact of fostering, among other aspects. Overall, this multi-informant study provides conceptually grounded and practice-relevant insights to support the recruitment of prospective foster families.
ER  -