Method and participants

The first study is a narrative inquiry among former foster youth (ages 16-26) wherein they were invited to talk about their experiences in care. An episodic interview was conducted, because this has a very open structure and questions participants about concrete experience and memories of their foster care period. This allows participants to direct the topics talked about during the interview and what stories will be considered more meaningful. An important part of the interview is on how participants think their lives prior to placement impacted the foster care period. Reflections on their own thoughts, feelings and actions are the focus of these questions.

On the basis of the interviews, 45 needs were selected for the Q-sort survey. Another group of young adults formerly in foster care ordered these needs from more unimportant to more important. Foster children who arranged the needs similarly belong to the same ‘needs-group’. We expect to be able to identify a few needs-groups with the Q-sort survey.

These groups indicate the specific support and interactions youth perceived important to them. This provides foster parents and foster care workers the inside perspective necessary to provide tailored developmental opportunities and the best chances for a successful placement.