Nordic Kinship Care: Challenges and Opportunities for Professionals Working with Kinship and Network Foster Care: Challenges and Opportunities for Professionals Working with Kinship and Network Foster Care

Kinship and network foster care has gained international attention in recent decades, both in research and increased usage. Despite the increased focus, previous research indicates that social work practice lacks the necessary knowledge and tools to support kinship and network foster care. Danish research also points to several challenges for social workers in planning, deciding, and implementing high-quality kinship and network foster care placements.

In this study, we investigate social work to identify challenges in social work and explore opportunities to enhance kinship and network foster care. More specifically, we examine practices of professionals involved in kinship and network foster care, identify the challenges and opportunities they encounter before the placement decision, during the matching process, and in the first year following the placement.