Search

The case-based research discussed in this article describes the variety of strategies mothers and young children spontaneously used to negotiate the complexities of foster care visits. Mothers and children displayed a variety of responses to visits, particularly separating at the end of visits. (Author)

Parent visitation, the scheduled, face-to-face contacts between parents and their children in foster care, is the primary intervention for maintaining and supporting the development of parent--child relationships necessary for reunification. A review of the child welfare literature, however, reveals that for some parents and children, visits are problematic. Indeed, parents and children's experiences of visits, the quality of interaction observed during visits, and outcomes for children vary widely. The parent-child attachment relationship is one important factor influencing the quality of visits. Attachment theory and research indicate that there are universal, developmental, variable, and problematic aspects of attachment relationships. These aspects of attachment relationships provide a heuristic approach for understanding, assessing, and intervening in parent-child relationships during foster care visits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The case-based research discussed in this article describes the variety of strategies mothers and young children spontaneously used to negotiate the complexities of foster care visiting. Nine mothers and their 24- to 48-month-old children were videotaped during their foster care visits. After each visit, the mother participated in an in-depth, audiotaped interview. Mothers and children displayed a wide variety of responses to visits. Mothers spontaneously discussed the challenges of visits, particularly separating at the end of visits. Implications for enhancing the quality of visits and strengthening services are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study examined relations among mothers'' discourse about experiences in their families of origin and with child protective services (CPS), attachment-related and current risk factors, and the quality of mothers'' parenting behavior with their young children during supervised visits. Twenty-nine 2- to 6-year-old children in foster care and their biological mothers participated. Clinical interviews with mothers assessed the quality of maternal discourse and the presence of risk factors. Videotaped observations of visits between mothers and their children assessed parenting behaviors. Results revealed that mothers who discussed their experiences in a coherent and flexible manner and expressed affection for their children in their discourse were more supportive of their children''s socioemotional functioning during visits. Moreover, in addition to current risk factors such as substance abuse and mental illness, mothers'' experience of attachment-related risk factors in childhood or adolescence was particularly important for understanding the quality of their discourse and parenting behavior. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]