Good retention practices often lead to better recruitment outcomes. This section is devoted to practices, services, and and supports that increase foster and adoptive family satisfaction, involvement and, ultimately, retention. Two aspects of retention each warrant attention: retention of inquiring families prior to placement and of families post-placement and/or after legalization. Retention is a sustained effort across the foster and adoption process that engages foster and adoptive parents and empowers them in their participation.

Ideas from the Field

The programs and initiatives highlighted below include ideas and examples of successful efforts from the field. Some of these initiatives have ended while others are still active. We are continually adding to this list as new strategies emerge. Check back soon for more great ideas on recruiting and retaining foster, adoptive and kinship parents.

• Unplanned Transfer Conferences (15 KB PDF): In an effort to facilitate open discussion with foster parents, New Hampshire DCYF has a policy for holding "unplanned transfer" conferences when a placement disruption has occurred in a foster home. The foster parents, DCYF staff and team members, talk about what happened in that situation and what could have been done better. Gail DeGoosh, New Hampshire's Foster Care Program Manager, says of the policy, "Just having the policy has given some peace of mind to foster parents who know they have recourse… When a placement changes, planned or not, sometimes foster parents see it as something they did wrong." These conferences are often a means of retaining foster parents who feel their voices are being heard. Source: New Hampshire DCYF / Contact: Gail DeGoosh, 603.271.4711 or gdegoosh@dhhs.state.nh.us

Resources and Reports

AdoptUsKids

• Taking a Break: Creating Foster, Adoptive and Kinship Respite in Your Community (1.9 MB PDF): This respite manual outlines step-by-step guidelines for developing any type of respite care program and includes sample forms that groups can use in the day-to-day operation of their program.
  
  
• Barriers and Success Factors in Adoption from Foster Care: Perspectives of Families & Staff (1.2 MB PDF): This report presents the findings of two research studies conducted by Dr. Ruth McRoy's research team at the University of Texas at Austin Center for Social Work Research. These studies were longitudinal and spanned the first five years of the AdoptUsKids project (2002-2007). Findings from the two studies focused on barriers experienced by a nationwide group of families seeking to adopt children from the U.S. foster care system and factors which contribute to successful adoption outcomes for families adopting children from foster care.
  
  
• Selected Review of Foster Care & Adoption Recruitment Models and Strategies (63 KB PDF): This 2006 report identifies resource material to guide the recruitment and retention of foster and adoptive parents. Selections address systemic issues as well as concerete intervention strategies. Sources include studies and reports by government and private organizations, practice summaries, professional literature and internet sites. Brief summaries or abstracts are provided for each listing, along with an internet link to the full document when available. Also included are "Ideas from the Field," which are current examples of effective interventions as collected by AdoptUsKids.

Federal Resources

• Understanding Foster Parenting: Using Administrative Data to Explore Retention: This study was conducted to extend current understanding of foster parent retention. Using data contributed by child welfare agencies in NM, OK and OR researchers analyzed characteristics of foster parents, utilization and length of service. Their findings in this 2005 report highlight service dynamics such as foster parent characteristics associated with various lengths of services. Source: Research Triangle Institute for Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation / Contact: Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, 202.690.6562
  
  
• Liability Insurance/Damage Claims for Foster Parents (94 KB PDF): This 2007 resource provides an overview of States that provide subsidized or free liability insurance or damage claims for their foster parents as a means of increasing retention. Source: National Resource Center for Family Centered Practice & Permanency Planning / Contact: Susan Dougherty, 212.452.7053, susan.dougherty@hunter.cuny.edu
  
  
• Retaining Foster Parents (1.2 MB PDF): This study identifies challenges States face in retaining foster parents. Key findings in this 2002 report highlight the needs of foster parents and brief recommendations are given to address those areas. Source: Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General
  
  
• Resource Family Retention: An Overview (62 KB PDF): This 2002 brief fact sheet outlines strategies that work for retaining foster and adoptive families for foster children and what related actions agencies need to take to implement those strategies. Source: National Resource Center for Family-Centered Practice & Permanency Planning and Casey Family Programs

Other Resources

• Ending the Foster Care Life Sentence: The Critical Need for Adoption Subsidies (926 KB PDF): This 2006 report summarizes survey findings from six States of pre-adoptive and adoptive parents in order to assess the impact of adoption subsidies and other factors on the families' ability to adopt children from foster care. Their findings highlight the important role subsidies play in offsetting many of the additional costs that arise when adopting children with special needs from foster care. Source: Children's Rights, Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, National Foster Parent Association and the North American Council on Adoptable Children


• "Why are Foster Parents Leaving? What Foster Parents Want Their Agencies to Know" (244 KB PDF): This article from the September/October 2009 issue of Fostering Families Today magazine highlights the importance of improving support and retention of foster parents as they adjust to the challenges and realities of their role. The article suggests that agencies can better assess, prepare and support foster families by attending to three key concerns or questions that many new foster parents have. The key recommended strategy is creating better relationships with foster families via more effective home visits that “ask the right questions and listen for the answers.” Source: April 2010 issue of E-Notes

Online Resources

• Child Welfare Information Gateway
• National Resource Center for Adoption
• National Resource Center for Permanency and Family Connections
• North American Council on Adoptable Children (NACAC)

For additional resources on recruitment and retention of foster, adoptive and kinship parents, see our publications for professionals or find out more about targeted recruitment and interjurisdictional resources.