Fostercare works for tough kids

Some of the country’s most badly behaved children are being turned around using a fostercare programme run by Youth Horizons Trust. The announcement of over 50% positive outcomes since 2004 in the programme coincides with the start of Fostercare Awareness Week – 28 October.

Fostercare parents at Youth Horizons Trust in Auckland and Wellington work closely with the families of children with severe behaviour problems and social workers by implementing a treatment plan to turn around the children’s bad behaviour with the aim of returning them to their community and school – within just a few months.

The intensive programme contracts caregivers to foster the children aged 10-17 in the fostercare parents’ own homes one-on-one for a set period of time – mostly less than a year. Rules are set and rewards given for good behaviour.

The Youth Horizons fostercare programme began in 2003 in Auckland, was extended to Wellington in 2005 and since 2004 over 20 children in Auckland with serious behaviour problems have completed the intensive programme and since returned to their community with a new set of behaviours.

Youth Horizons Trust, a non-government trust that has been running a series of programmes for youth offenders and children with mental health issues for 10 years, says their caregivers are well funded in exchange for their services but more are needed for the programme to continue to produce good results in reducing youth offending. The fostercare programme is supported by funding from various government agencies, particularly Child Youth and Family, and district health boards.

“Our caregivers love their jobs; they find it challenging but extremely rewarding,” Fostercare Coordinator Nicholas McCarrison says. “It’s work that can be done from home; people receive excellent training for the job, have 24-hour support from us and always can have time off when needed.

“Of course we shouldn’t kid ourselves that these kids are easy – they are extremely difficult but because of that it can be such a rewarding job. However if we are to continue producing such great results with these difficult children – many of whom will otherwise end up in prison – we need more fostercare parents. It’s simple; if we had more fostercare parents we could turn around more potential young offenders.”

The programme works he says because it recognises the importance of family who become part of the team that work to turn the children’s bad behaviour around. “The children’s conduct is never so bad that they can’t ever go home.”

He tells of one boy who came from a town where he was known by everyone because of his antisocial behaviour. He had assaulted his parents, his teachers and social workers, ignored any request to do anything, had few friends and roamed the streets.

“We placed him into fostercare for seven months. In that time boundaries were put in place and routines set. We worked hard to get him back to school and with his family to get him back home. His behaviour settled, he built up respect for adults and learnt there were consequences for bad behaviour. He is now back in that town and in a mainstream school. The caregiver, who set strong boundaries and had excellent parenting skills, in a home where everyone had respect for others, was the key to turning him around.”

Good parenting and being able to manage stress are the main skills needed for fostercare parenting Nicholas McCarrison says. “Many parents have these skills and when they are supported by a strong team, are paid good contract fees, have sound training and are able to network with other fostercare parents it can be a great part of one’s life.”

Fostercare parents are employed by Youth Horizon Trust to care for children on both a full time and weekend basis. As well as fostering children with behavioural difficulties Youth Horizons provides respite care for parents needing a break from full-time caregiving and for families with children who have mental health problems.

Pat, who has been fostering difficult children in Auckland for many years says she loves working with young children, seeing their confidence boosted and the great differences when the child leaves her home.

“We have a 12-year-old boy with us now who had been to 28 schools and he likes the structure we provide, knowing the boundaries and the praise he gets for keeping to the rules. When he first came to us he used to bang the door and had no self esteem but it didn’t take long at all before he was walking upright and gaining confidence.”

Pat says all the children she has fostered have been delightful and her husband Dave, who also works for Youth Horizon as a youth worker, says it’s just a matter of focusing on the children’s good points. “You have to work on finding those good points and build them up.” He enjoys taking their current foster child out fishing and shopping and seeing him grow in confidence.

“Providing the children with a safe home with set rules and boundaries can make a huge difference,” Nicholas McCarrison says. “We try to provide a continuum of care for the children with an ongoing support programme for when they leave. For every child who comes through Youth Horizons we believe we can make some difference and that is our great reward.

“If you like a challenge, enjoy working with children, want to be supported and respected for your parenting skills and would like to make a difference – being a fostercare parent is a great job.”

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