Inaugural Every Child Matters webinar for the Child Welfare League of Canada and the Canadian Foster Family Association. ABSTRACT: In common with other western English-speaking countries, foster family recruitment is a major issue for Canadian provinces and territories. Demographic and other societal changes over the last 25 years have led to a decrease in the pool of people with both the motivation and capability to foster, while in many jurisdictions the need and demand for foster care has never been higher. With a particular focus upon research from Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States, this webinar will critically explore in a very accessible way, the current research evidence on what has been found to "work” in relation to foster family recruitment. As well as examining specific recruitment methods, a strong focus of the presentation will be the research on how agencies can more broadly manage their recruitment efforts in order to ensure that they have sufficient foster families to meet the needs of their children and young people.

1. Iain Ma
theson
Every Child Matters Webinar March 23, 2011
Child Welfare Consultant and Researcher
Iain Matheson
Child Welfare Consultant and Researcher

2. Introduction Recruitment Methods Planning & Response Retention Conclusion

3. Introduction Recruitment Methods Planning & Response Retention Conclusion
LESS PLACEMENT CHOICE
Further from family, friends & schools
Less compatible with foster family
Compromised standards?
Stretched foster family
Needs not being well met
HIGHER RISK OF PLACEMENT BREAKDOWN AND
POORER OUTCOMES

4. Introduction Recruitment Methods Planning & Response Retention Conclusion
 Inaugural Every Child Matters webinar
 Wide range of provinces and territories
 Opportunity for questions at the end

5. Introduction Recruitment Methods Planning & Response Retention Conclusion
 Director of Matheson Associates, New Zealand
 Paper coordinator and senior tutor at Massey University
 Doctor of Education candidate
 Postgraduate qualifications in social work, child
protection, social services management and evaluation
research.

6. Introduction Recruitment Methods Planning & Response Retention Conclusion
Introduction
Recruitment
Conclusion
methods
Planning and
Retention
response

7. Introduction Recruitment Methods Planning & Response Retention Conclusion
 We know more than we did 25 years ago
 Many examples of good practice and growing
expertise
 Majority of population yet to be reached
 Every Child Matters
 Research studies in several countries
 Some key researchers and writers

8. Introduction Recruitment Methods Planning & Response Retention Conclusion
Canada Australia
 Professor Jason Brown  Dr Jenny Higgins
 Dr Marilyn McHugh
 Professor Alan Leschied
 Associate Professor
Margaret Williams
US UK
 Cheryl Buehler  Helen Clark
 Mary Ellen Cox  Dr Clive Sellick
 John Orme  Emeritus Professor Ian
 Kathryn Rhodes Sinclair
 Emeritus Professor John
Triseliotis

9. Introduction Recruitment Methods Planning & Response Retention Conclusion
 Recruiting foster families is now tougher
 Supply of foster families falling
 Demand for foster placements rising
 Gaps and limitations in the research literature
 Challenges in ‘transplanting’ research
findings to other countries, provinces &
organisations

10. Introduction Recruitment Methods Planning & Response Retention Conclusion
Which is the most effective
foster family recruitment
method?

11. Introduction Recruitment Methods Planning & Response Retention Conclusion
Strength of research Moderately strong but some variability
Includes:
 National, provincial or local
Features
 Documentaries or advertising
Usually used with other methods
TV documentaries as part of broad-based media
Strengths campaign
Good for general awareness-raising
Large-scale TV advertising probably not cost-
effective
Weaknesses
Some evidence that these families foster for
shorter period
Cox et al., 2002; Rodwell & Biggerstaff, 1993;
Research examples
Sellick & Thoburn, 2002; USDHHS, 2002.

12. Introduction Recruitment Methods Planning & Response Retention Conclusion
Strength of research Moderately strong
Includes:
 Locally produced leaflets
Features  National or provincial leaflets with local
contact information
 Wall posters in community venues and offices
Opportunities to use images of targeted cultural
Strengths groups
Provide an action point
Weaknesses -
Research examples McHugh et al., 2004; Triseliotis,et al., 1999.

13. Introduction Recruitment Methods Planning & Response Retention Conclusion
Strength of research Strong recruitment method
Includes:
 Radio announcements
Features
 Feature advertisements
 Newspaper or magazine articles
Consistent over a number of studies and over
Strengths
time
Weaknesses -
Lawrence, 1994; McHugh et al., 2004; Sellick &
Research examples
Howell, 2003; Triseliotis et al., 1998.

14. Introduction Recruitment Methods Planning & Response Retention Conclusion
Strength of Very strong - consistently cited as (one of) the best
research recruitment methods
Includes:
 Family and friend conversations
Features  Active involvement of foster families in recruitment
 Building relationships with and through organisations
Usually used with other methods
Use with indigenous communities
Use with specific cultural groups or ‘hard to reach’
Strengths
communities
Communication of enthusiasm and authenticity
Presumes that your foster families are satisfied with their
Weaknesses
relationship with the organisation
Lawrence, 1994; Lawton & Rhea Chiles Center, 2000;
Research
Leschied et al., 2004; Richardson et al., 2005; Rodgers et
examples
al., 2006; Triseliotis et al., 1999; USDHHS, 2002.

15. Introduction Recruitment Methods Planning & Response Retention Conclusion
Community stalls Limited research evidence of success
Public presentations Limited research evidence of success
Billboards Limited coverage in research literature
Web-based Limited coverage in research literature

16. Introduction Recruitment Methods Planning & Response Retention Conclusion
Could your organisation
plan and respond more
professionally?

17. Introduction Recruitment Methods Planning & Response Retention Conclusion
 Better understanding, needs assessment and management
(Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2002; Clarke, 2006; Triseliotis et al., 1999; USDHHS, 2002)
 Strategy development one size doesn’t fit all
(Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2002; Cashen, 2003: Clark, 2006; Sellick & Connolly, 2002)
 Clear and realistic message about fostering task
(Brown et al., 2007; Triseliotis et al., 1999)
 Targeted and culturally sensitive recruitment
(Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2002; Brown et al., 2010; Social Care Institute for
Excellence, 2004)
 Collaboration with community groups
(Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2002)
 Continuous effect better than one-off campaigns
(Clark, 2006; Social Care Institute for Excellence, 2004)
 Recruitment must have a strong local focus
(SuccessWorks, 2007; Triseliotis, 1999)

18. Introduction Recruitment Methods Planning & Response Retention Conclusion
 Importance of budgets and experienced staff
(Clark, 2006; Triseliotis, 1999)
 Specialist recruitment roles
(Clark, 2006; Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2002)
 Need for foster family involvement
(Leschied et al., 2004; McHugh et al., 2004; Sheldon, 2002; Sinclair, 2005)

19. Introduction Recruitment Methods Planning & Response Retention Conclusion
 Actually respond!
(Fostering Network, 2004; Keogh & Stvensson, 1999)
 Criticality of prompt and professional
responses
(Sinclair et al. 2004)
 Potential trigger and ‘drop out’ points
(Marcellus, 2010; SuccessWorks, 2007)
 Unsuitable applicants
(Clarke, 2006; Triseliotis, 1999)

20. Introduction Recruitment Methods Planning & Response Retention Conclusion
Is your current pool of
foster families better
able to meet the needs
of a wider range of
children and youth than
2 years ago?

21. Introduction Recruitment Methods Planning & Response Retention Conclusion
 We largely know how to support foster
families
(Berridge, 1997; Brown, 2008; Gibb & Wildfire, 2007; Ivanova & Brown, 2010;
McGregor et al., 2006; Sinclair, 2005)
 Retention rates impacted when those
conditions not in place
(Hawken & McHugh, 2006; Leschied et al., 2004; Rhodes et al., 2001; Triseliotis,
1999)
 Organisations need to know who is leaving
and why
(Clarke, 2006; Wilson et al., 2004)

22. Introduction Recruitment Methods Planning & Response Retention Conclusion
 Most care is provided by a relatively small
pool of foster families
(Gibbs & Wildfire, 2007)
 Many new foster families never used
(Sellick & Thoburn, 2004; Sinclair, 2005)
 Satisfied foster families also critical to
recruitment efforts
(Leschied et al., 2004; McHugh et al., 2004; SuccessWorks, 2007); Wilson et al.,
2007)

23. Introduction Recruitment Methods Planning & Response Retention Conclusion
Cannon fodder is an informal, derogatory term for military
personnel who are regarded or treated as expendable in the
face of enemy fire. The term is generally used in situations
where soldiers are forced to deliberately fight against hopeless
odds (with the foreknowledge that they will suffer extremely
high casualties) in an effort to achieve a strategic goal…The
term may also be used (somewhat pejoratively) to differentiate
infantry from other forces (such as artillery, air force or the
navy), or to distinguish expendable low-grade or inexperienced
soldiers from supposedly more valuable veterans (Wikipedia,
2011).

24. Introduction Recruitment Methods Planning & Response Retention Conclusion
1. Need for more research and evaluation
2. Some consistent messages from research:
 Need a pool of foster families that can meet current
and future requirements
 Need a blend of methods that includes ‘word of
mouth’ and a strong ‘local’ dimension
 Need professional approaches to planning and
response
 Need a clear focus upon retention
3. Clear opportunities for organisations to
contribute to creating and building both
professional and academic knowledge

25. Introduction Recruitment Methods Planning & Response Retention Conclusion
For further information or references, feel free
to email me at:
iain@mathesonassociates.co.nz
http://www.mathesonassociates.co.nz

26. Introduction Recruitment Methods Planning & Response Retention Conclusion
CWLC - Every Child Matters:
http://www.cwlc.ca/ecm
Annie E. Casey’s Recruitment, training, and support:
http://www.aecf.org/Home/MajorInitiatives/Family%20to%20Family
/~/media/PDFFiles/FamilytoFamily/recruit%20pdf.ashx
The Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare’s Foster care
communication and recruitment project:
http://www.cwav.asn.au/resources/Publication%20Files/Monograph
%20No.%2021%20By%20Next%20Tuesday%20Best%20Practice%20En
gagement%20Project,%20Foster%20Care%20Recruitment%20and%20
Retention.pdf
The Fostering Network’s Attracting and keeping carers:
http://www.fostering.net/attracting-keeping-carers-england