Abstract:
An increasing number of children require alternative placement for their care
and protection in South Africa. The overwhelming socio-economic factors
negatively impact on the capacity of the extended family to continue to serve as
an effective safety net which has inevitably led to the emergence of non-relative
foster parents. Anecdotal evidence suggests a sense of apathy and suspicion
regarding the non-relative foster parents especially with regards to motivation
for fostering. This paper, therefore, seeks to explore and describe the
motivation of non-relative foster parents. Findings come from a broader
doctoral study which explored the experiences of twenty non-relative foster
parents in De Deur, South Africa. Semi-structured interviews and a focus group
discussion were used to collect data. The findings show that the foster parents
were motivated by altruistic and intrinsic factors such as fostering as a calling;
personal life experiences; and a desire to make a difference in the lives of
vulnerable children. The study concludes that the motives expressed are likely
to be associated with positive outcomes for foster children and result in
placement stability. This paper therefore, recommends that the selection and
assessment criteria for non-relative foster parents should be based on the examination of their motivations to ensure foster care placement success and
retention.
