International Kinship Care Trends, Challenges and Outcomes for Children Placed with Family Overseas Angela Wilson
Meena Enawalla
Jessica Navey
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Acknowledgements Acknowledgements CFAB would like to thank a number of people who contributed to this study in various ways. We are indebted to our International Social Service partners who assisted in data collection in their respective countries. We are always grateful to our overseas partners for their on-going collaboration that enables us to secure the best possible outcomes for children and families separated across international borders. We would also like to acknowledge the invaluable feedback given by Mia Dambach (International Social Service), Emily Delap (Family for Every Child) and Francina Mhundwa (Family for Every Child) during the development of the project and early drafts of the research report. Finally, we must extend our gratitude to the kinship carers who completed the questionnaire, offering their time and trust in our work.
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Contents
CFAB Office Unit 1.03 Canterbury Court 1-3 Brixton Road London, England SW9 6DE T: 02077358941 F: 02075820696 E: angela.wilson@cfab.org.uk W: www.cfab.org.uk
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Executive Summary
INTRODUCTION When a child cannot be cared for by his or her parents, the preferred means of alternative care should be with the extended family and other people with a kinship bond. A child’s right to preserve his or her identity, to be provided with appropriate alternative care, and for all actions concerning the child to be taken with the best interest of the child at heart, are enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (Article 3, Article 8, and Article 20) and in the UN Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children (2009). When a child is deprived of parental care but has extended family members residing in another country, the same principles apply, even if this means that the reunification with extended family members must be coordinated across international borders.
BACKGROUND Children and Families Across Borders (CFAB) provide inter-country assistance in cases involving children in alternative care when family members residing abroad can provide a safe and nurturing permanent home. When this arrangement is in the best interests of the child, the result is an international kinship placement. CFAB have over 60 years of experience in inter-country social work, including international kinship care, which is a core area of our work. We are aware that there are numerous barriers to successful placements of children with extended family overseas and that many social workers struggle to effectively manage inter-country cases when multiple countries are involved. It is apparent to us that more evidence is needed to inform social work practice and that there is a need for better tools and guidelines to help social workers and decision-makers manage these complex cases.
While very little is known about international kinship care, its use appears to be increasing as families are more mobile and increasingly settle across multiple countries. In 2013, CFAB undertook a preliminary study to better understand the
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trends and characteristics of international kinship care and the outcomes for children placed abroad.
Furthermore, very little research has been published on international kinship care. The existing literature highlights the complexity of this type of alternative care. While there are advantages to a child remaining within his or her own family, including preserving the child’s right to identity and family life and less likelihood of placement disruption, limitations have also been identified. For example, children may be removed from their community, placed with family who they are not familiar with or experience difficulty in maintaining contact with parents. In addition, studies on professionals’ experiences with international kinship placements highlight the significant procedural and logistical challenges to exploring and arranging a placement when family members reside overseas. Current research on international kinship care lacks evidence on placement trends, the experiences of children and carers, and long-term outcomes for children.
METHOD There were two main components to CFAB’s study. The first phase was a case audit to learn the characteristics and trends in international kinship care. We looked at all cases referred to CFAB between 2007 and 2010 requesting inter-country collaboration for an assessment of a kinship carer abroad. The second phase explored the long-term outcomes for a small sub-sample of children who had been offered permanency overseas. We administered a questionnaire with a sample of kinship carers who had been looking after children for three to six years. The questionnaire focused on the outcomes for children placed abroad and placement stability.
KEY PRELIMINARY FINDINGS Case audit: Between 2007 and 2010, CFAB’s inter-country services assisted in 101 cases to assess a potential kinship carer overseas. Of these 101 cases, at least 30% resulted in a placement abroad.
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Placements were explored in 43 countries, demonstrating that international kinship care is a global issue that requires expertise in international social work and the resources for worldwide collaboration. Placement outcomes: Placement stability for children placed abroad after three to six years was very good. Of the nine cases when long-term outcomes were known, only one child had returned to foster care. Access to education and health care and maintaining contact with important people in the UK was excellent. All children were accessing the relevant services and, when appropriate, had contact with family and friends in the UK. Post-placement support for kinship carers was mixed. Approximately half of the kinship carers said that they received support. Some carers said that the lack of support had a negative effect on the placement success, including on their ability to provide for the children and for the children to maintain contact with their parents in the UK.
KEY RECOMMENDATIONS The findings from this preliminary study suggest that international kinship care may be comparable to national-level kinship care because placement stability and outcomes for children were good, but post-placement support was not always adequate. However, the small sample size limits the ability to make conclusions about the effectiveness of international kinship care. More research and better tools for social workers and decision-makers are needed to improve outcomes and protect the rights of children deprived of parental care. CFAB’s key recommendations from the study are:
Effective decision-making National governments and local authorities need to ensure that appropriate laws and policies are in place so that international family resources are given every consideration as a permanent care option. Children’s safeguarding boards, social workers, children’s advocates and judges need to be equipped with the right tools to make placement decisions for
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children, including a specialised assessment template and guide for international kinship placements. Local authorities and community organisations need to empower parents, children, families and local communities to advocate for family placements when it is in the best interest of the child.
Better social work practice and policies Governments need to provide adequate support to kinship carers and recognise kinship care as one of the most effective solutions in alternative care. Local authorities and judges need to ensure that children and carers are offered adequate pre- and post-placement support, in collaboration with the appropriate authorities in all countries involved. Governments, local authorities and higher education institutions need to build a social work workforce that is confident to work on inter-country cases and with overseas authorities and cultural variances. Social workers, children’s advocates and judges need to recognise children’s role and consult with children about their wishes and feelings about their care arrangements.
Further research National governments, local authorities and higher education institutions need to prioritise international research on policy and practices for children in care and their options for permanency. Governments and international bodies such as the EU should consider commissioning a scoping study to better understand the prevalence of international kinship placements and the different practical and policy approaches to international kinship care, locally and internationally. Governments and international bodies such as the EU should consider commissioning a study on the experiences of children placed abroad, their carers, and important persons left behind in the UK (such as parents), to better understand the implications of international kinship placements and to improve future policy and practice.
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Governments, international bodies, higher education institutions and nongovernment/charity organisations should improve information sharing on this topic.
CONCLUSION As international mobility results in more families dispersed across international borders, the instances when children in alternative care can find permanency with family members residing abroad is also increasing. However, the research and evidence to inform social work practice and policies in this area is grossly lacking. Further research on international kinship care is critical to better understand professional approaches, best practice, and experiences of children and families. More work is needed to develop standards of practice, tools and training to empower professionals, children, parents, and local communities. International kinship care is a new and emerging issue in the social work profession that must be addressed in order to protect children’s rights and ensure the best possible outcomes for all children.
To access the full report: http://cfab.org.uk/about-cfab/publications/
Please address any correspondence to: Angela Wilson Children and Families Across Borders Canterbury Court Unit 1.03 1-3 Brixton Road London SW9 6DE angela.wilson@cfab.org.uk +44(0)20 7735 8941
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