Access arrangements within the context of foster care : the child’s point of view

Abstract

Children are the main protagonists within the context of foster care. Ergo, the main objective of this study was to focus on children in relation to contact in foster care. Whether it is to be considered important, and how it may trigger to be both a positive and negative experience for a child. It looks at how child-parent attachment emphasizes the emotions that children may experience when they are separated from their birth parents, and whether re-connecting with them is the best option for the child. This study noted how the main goal of foster care is so that children may eventually be reintegrated with their birth family, however it took into consideration that this depends on the circumstances of the situation, as contact and reintegration are not always the right decision for the child. With regard to contact, the rights handed over to both parents and children and the duty of the state was analysed. The reasons behind this was that, on some occasions, children are seen as vulnerable objects and the fact that they have rights and may also voice their opinion in certain decisions, should not be forgotten. Through certain studies that took place in Malta, the views of children within foster care and their experiences of having contact with their birth families were analysed and mentioned. This helped to better understand the feelings and impressions that children had with regard to contact. Therefore, by examining the legal frameworks recognizing foster care, studies that took place in Malta, as well as other desk research, these gave an overall view of children in foster care and their rights and experiences when it comes to contact.