How do kinship and foster caregivers differ in their conceptualization of family connectedness?

Background: In out-of-home care in Australia and internationally, there is an increasing preference to place children in kinship than foster care placements as it is assumed that kinship care promotes caregiver, family, and cultural connectedness. However, little research has examined whether and how the quality of these connections differ between kinship and foster care. Objective: We utilized qualitative methodology to provide a richer, strengths-based exploration of caregivers' perspectives on the caregiver-child relationship and other connections (i.e., family, culture) in kinship compared to foster care. Participants and setting: Sixty-six kinship (N = 31) and foster (N = 35) caregivers of 8- to 16-year-olds in Australia. Methods: Kinship and foster caregivers provided Five-Minute Speech Samples about their child and the caregiver-child relationship. Thematic analysis was used to explore the ways caregivers described family relationships and connectedness. Results: Results highlighted the value caregivers place on strong attachment relationships with their children and the skills that help them develop a safe haven for children. Caregiver groups also differed in their discussions of commitment to the child and family and cultural connectedness, with kinship caregivers more likely to emphasize the strengths and challenges of birth family relations and the importance of cultural connectedness than foster caregivers. Conclusions: Our findings highlight the ways in which kinship and foster caregivers emphasize different aspects of family and cultural connectedness which can be used to inform policy and practice in an area currently lacking evidence.