Operational processes and problems and obstacles in foster care service of the Provincial Social Development and Human Security Offices

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to study the opinions on the operational processes of foster care service of the Provincial Social Development and Human Security Offices and to study the opinions on the problems and obstacles encountered in the operational processes of the foster care service of the Provincial Social Development and Human Security Offices. This study was a quantitative research. The data was collected using questionnaires as a research tool from a total of 228 people, consisting of 3 groups: (1) social workers, (2) chiefs of social development and welfare groups and (3) staff of the Provincial Social Development and Human Security Offices in 76 provinces. The statistics used in the data analysis consisted of percentage, frequency, mean, standard deviation, t-test, one-way ANOVA, pairwise comparison and Scheffe’s test.

The results showed that the majority of the sample were female, age between 36-51 years with master degree. They were social workers with 4 or more years of experience in social work and 2-4 years of experience in the foster care service. As for the opinions on the operational processes of the foster care services of the Provincial Social Development and Human Security Offices, it was found that the staff complied with the operational processes of foster care service at a highest level. The operational processes consisted of 9 steps: Step 1 Staff training and preparation, Step 2 Expressing intention to become a foster family, Step 3 Application/evidence review/preliminary interview, Step 4 Home visit for monitoring the living condition, Step 5 Approval of a foster family, Step 6 Sending the written notice of the approval results to the applicant, Step 7 Monitoring of foster care, Step 8 Child foster care report and Step 9 Termination of foster care. According to the hypothesis testing, there were significant difference in age, position, experience in social work and experience in the foster care service between the Provincial Social Development and Human Security Offices at a level of 0.05.

As for the opinions on the problems and obstacles in the operational processes of foster care service of the Provincial Social Development and Human Security Offices, the staff indicated the middle level of the problems and obstacles, consisting of people, funding, materials and equipment, and management. According to the hypothesis testing, difference in age, education, position, experience in social work and experience in the foster care service were significantly related to the problems and obstacles encountered in the operational processes of foster care service of the Provincial Social Development and Human Security Offices at a level of 0.05.

              Suggestions: (1) the policy on rates and criteria for the child foster care subsidy should be adjusted as needed and in line with economic conditions, (2) the central authorities should consider allocating sufficient budgets to the target groups, (3) there should be the training programs for different type of workers and the manual for foster care service should also be designed in accordance with the regional context, (4) the focus should be on reducing the number of children and youth in the public foster homes by increasing the proportion of the target group through the use of empirical evidence, and (5) regional authorities should review and plan  the adequate manpower for their operations, as well as (6) promote and encourage the cooperation with local networks.