Strategies to curb challenges faced by foster parents in caring for children in alternative care in Zimbabwe. A case of Bindura District.
- Author
- Chimanyiwa, Trish C.
- Title
- Strategies to curb challenges faced by foster parents in caring for children in alternative care in Zimbabwe. A case of Bindura District.
- Abstract
- The study’s aim was to investigate and analyse the challenges that foster parents face in caring for children in alternative care, as well as coping strategies to curb those challenges in Bindura District, Zimbabwe. The primary objectives of the study were to examine the psychosocio-economic challenges faced by foster parents in caring for children in alternative care, to evaluate the effectiveness of support services available to foster parents and to come up with intervention strategies that can be utilized by foster parents to overcome these challenges. A phenomenological research design was utilized in this study, which was qualitative in nature and involved in-depth interviews and a focus group discussion for data collection. The study used a sample size of 11 participants, selected from the target population to gather the required information. Social control theory was applied in the research. This investigation successfully identified the key issues faced by foster parents in caring for children in alternative care from the challenges they face to how they cope bringing out what needs to be done to improve foster care. The research revealed that foster parents encounter a number of challenges such as stigma and isolation, financial constraints, stress and burnout. The study also uncovered the available support services available to foster parents and their effectiveness bringing out strategies that foster utilize to address those challenges. The study proposed a multifaceted approach as a strategy that can be used by foster parents to overcome the challenges they face as part of the recommendations.
- Date
- June 2025
- Publisher
- BUSE
- Keywords
- Foster Parents
- Alternative Care
- Supervisor
- Ms. R. Muregi
- Item sets
- Department of Social Work
