STRATEGIES FOR RECRUITING FOSTER FAMILIES

Fostering provides children with an opportunity to grow and develop in a family environment, while finding a solution to the source of separation from their families, either with adoption or with independence when reaching the age of majority. Finding families ready to look after those children is one of the most important challenges for foster care systems in the next decade. This paper aims to review international procedures to recruit foster families. The most successful recruitment interventions are those aimed at general population, involving experienced foster parents, using all available resources, and sending objective messages about what this decision entails. Previous research also underlies the need for yearly recruitment and sensitization plans, and assessment systems of the strategies used. Several guidelines are offered in this paper for agencies and managers of foster programs.