Multiple Modes of Being: Exploring the Complex Role of a Foster Carer

Background: The professionalisation of foster care is argued to have shifted the provision away from assuming a parental identity and increase a sense of role ambiguity for those who provide foster care. Only a few studies within the literature have examined the roles which are identified with when providing care, where foster carers appear to identify with a parental role, a professional caring role, or a mixture of the two. Aim: The aim of this research was to provide an exploratory account of the roles identified with while providing foster care, how the experience of providing care may shape the foster carer’s sense of self, their relationships with others and how they are able to continue providing care to looked after children. Methodology: Following an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven foster carers. Results: Three superordinate and twelve subordinate themes were identified. The superordinate themes were ‘multiple modes of being: harmony and tension’, ‘fractures’, and ‘healing, coping and making sense’. For the foster carers in this study, multiple modes of being were recognised when providing care, including that of a professional, an additional mother and an activist. A gap was identified where their expectations of providing care did not match with the reality of being a foster carer. While this gap can act as an injury, the foster carers are able to sustain their role through individual characteristics and qualities that are shared amongst their family. Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that the provision of foster care is a complex undertaking, requiring an ability to move fluidly between multiple different modes to meet the needs of the child and the system around them. The results of this study are framed within practice implications and recommendations for future research.