Fostering ‘for good’ if parents are absent

Fostering laws should allow children to live permanently with their foster carers if their parents remain absent from their life for a certain amount of time, the president of the National Foster Care Association recommended yesterday.

Jason Zerafa said this would allow children to have stability in their lives as they would know where their home was even if they did keep some form of contact with their biological parents.

According to a survey carried out by the association and released yesterday, foster carers feel the need for better legislation to promote the rights of children.

For example, children in residential care whose parents refused to allow them to be fostered should be given the opportunity to live in a family environment, a point raised in the Commissioner for Children’s annual report last year.

As things stand, social work practice requires parental consent for children living in residential homes to be fostered. However, international research has shown fostering is the better option for these children, especially those under five, as it allows them to live in a family environment.

The survey looked into the perceptions and concerns of foster carers in Malta. Currently there are almost 180 such carers.

Carers felt there was a lack of understanding and awareness among teachers and school staff that often resulted in conflict and misunderstanding.

Mr Zerafa explained that fostered children often came from a difficult family background. Changing environments and moving into a foster family was already traumatic and this sometimes manifested itself as behavioural problems. Some teachers were not aware of these realities and labelled the children as naughty.

There was also a need for more training among carers on how to deal with the child’s behavioural issues.

The survey also delved into the current economic benefits and the feedback was that they needed to be improved in various ways.

This did not mean foster carers wanted more cash in hand, Mr Zerafa said. Financial help could he given in the form of subsidies on utility bills or by helping with therapy costs. Of course, he said, one had to ensure there was no abuse and all was done in the interest of the children.

The association, set up in 2005, will be sifting through the survey results and will prepare a document to suggest the way forward for foster care in Malta.

The document will then be presented to the government, political parties and the Church.