Research shows that foster care needs uniform standards
Published: Tuesday, Nov 21st 2023, 12:10
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The foster care system needs uniform standards. This is the conclusion of a new national study. In particular, the patchwork of cantonal standards makes licensing, supervision and suitability assessments more difficult.
The foster care system is at a good level, according to the report of the national research project "Foster children - next generation", which was presented at a conference in Bern on Tuesday. However, the results show that the cantons have developed a wide variety of foster care systems. This has significant consequences for the foster children, but also for the foster parents and parents of origin.
The canton in which a child grows up is clearly a decisive factor in their experience as a foster child. For this reason, concepts and standards are needed, particularly with regard to suitability assessments, licensing and supervision.
Cooperation between the cantons should be strengthened. This should ensure that foster children everywhere in Switzerland have the same opportunities to grow up in a safe environment and receive the best possible support in their development.
The study also sees potential for improvement in the area of child participation and support for the parents of origin. The researchers also see a need for action in dealing with foster families. The results clearly showed that, depending on the canton, foster families have had unequal access or entitlements to support as well as training and further education.
Putting relatives in a better position
In some cantons, kinship care is less well resourced. In some cases, for example, grandparents or aunts who take in related children receive no financial support. The researchers find this untenable.
The study was conducted under the direction of the Palatin Foundation in collaboration with the Conference of Cantonal Directors of Social Affairs (SODK), the Federal Social Insurance Office (BSV), the Conference for Child and Adult Protection (Kokes) and the specialist organizations Integras and PACH. The findings are now to be incorporated into a possible revision of the Foster Children Ordinance.
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