Survey Of Foster Carers

[Aphra]

Before I start I'd like to acknowledge that this isn't very scientific, the results won't be scientifically valid and I'm sure there are lots of things wrong with the survey, the format and the questions.

However, in the absence of any better information I've done it anyway.

Recruiting and keeping foster carers is a big issue for most rescue groups; we're like other groups, we regularly call for foster carers and generally are lucky to recruit one or two a year. Rather than assume there's something wrong with the community, I thought it might be worth having a crack at finding out a bit more about what attracts people to fostering or what the barriers are to starting or staying. Rescue on the whole doesn't have much of an evidence base, which frustrates me quite a lot. :-)

So I put together a brief survey and I'd be really grateful if people would fill it out or pass it on. It's for people who foster, have fostered or haven't fostered but might have thought about it.

If you have ideas about how the survey could be improved (it's DOL, of COURSE you have ideas :-), let me know and I'll incorporate them into another survey we could run next year.

I'm just going to leave it open until I've got got a decent sample (I'd like a hundred or so responses) and then I'll collate the results and share them around.

http://www.headingforhome.asn.au/someone-like-you-our-foster-care-survey/

[MadWoofter]

I've filled it out :)

A couple of things - Questions 9 and 12 require a numerical value only, but your questions asks for years / months. You might want to allow alpha-numeric on those questions.

Q18 had a yes/no option only, but you may want to add another one for n/a (not currently fostering)

[shirra]

Done :)

[juice]

I'm not married, and not really single living alone, i have 2 kids.

i also work, but from home, so if i tick full time it looks like i am not home when i am. :)

[Little Gifts]

Aphra I've mentioned this before but rescue really needs to try and link up with statutory children's foster care agencies in each state (often this is outsourced to non-profit organisations and managed at a regional rather than central office level). They run recruitment drives for foster carers regularly, which include information nights. Not everyone is cut out for fostering children once they hear more info about the types of children they might get placed with. There is nothing stopping a rescue group arranging to give a 5 minute presentation at these info nights and leaving brochures so that if fostering children is not for everyone then perhaps fostering an animal is. Abuse and neglect of children, spouses and animals is often linked.

If cold calling then I'd try the regional office foster carer coordinator and put the idea to them and see how interested they are. Many frontline staff are also animal lovers. Before things got a bit anal up here it was not uncommon to have people's dogs come into work. I know mine did on numerous occasions! One manager also used to foster care wildlife and would always be carting around a bird that needed feeding during meetings or she'd have a baby mammal stuffed down her top.

I'll fill out a survey too.