Fw: foster care research

["Lea" <psychlea@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Hello again. A request for consent to speak with foster children will be
considered by a review committee after  receiving a proposal from me. I am
required to describe my design and intent. I want to look at children that
are crown wards since there is a need for exploring their retrospective
perspectives on original placement into care and the understanding of their
experience around becoming crown wards. I am looking for suggestions as to
what research design would be best suited for this investigation and the
kinds of questions that would help access such sensitive issues. My research
experience is limited. The children would be 12 years and older and I
thought of conducting semi-structured interviews. Any suggestions would be
greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.
Lea
----- Original Message -----
From: "Lea" <psychlea@rogers.com>
To: "Curtis McMillen" <cmcmille@gwbssw.wustl.edu>
Sent: Thursday, February 14, 2002 5:37 PM
Subject: Re: foster care research


> Thank you very much for your reply. I will investigate the issue of
consent
> further. I am in Toronto Canada and will speak with Children's Aid. Do you
> have any suggestions for research questions that would access the child's
> perspective through interviews with the foster parents, caseworkers and
> teachers. I feel this topic is worthy of research and in the event that
the
> children cannot be interviewed I would like to proceed but with those
> closest to them.
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Curtis McMillen" <cmcmille@gwbssw.wustl.edu>
> To: <psychlea@rogers.com>
> Sent: Thursday, February 14, 2002 4:41 PM
> Subject: foster care research
>
>
>
> There is very little research that has been conducted on the child's
> perspective in the foster care system for one reason: it is very difficult
> to ascertain informed consent from the guardian. Few states allow data
> collection from youth in their care. Few state systems are willing to
> consider their caseworker as able to provide informed consent, and your
> institution's institutional review board for research may not accept it as
> valid even if the state were to allow it. It is very difficult to obtain
> written consent from the birth parent of children in care as they are
often
> antagonistic to the child welfare system, suspicious of research, and
> transient.
>
> I would not go a step further in your research plans until you were
> completely confident that you have the proper permission and cooperation
> necessary to conduct the study you are trying to plan.
>
>
>
>
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