Why foster carers care: part 2, produced by The Fostering Network in partnership with consultancy iMPOWER as part of the Department for Education funded project to support fostering services to recruit more foster carers, uses a system for identifying individuals’ values in order to explore in depth the actions and attitudes of foster carers.

Using this Values Modes™ approach, the population of newly approved* foster carers was found to be:

• 81 per cent pioneer
• 16 per cent prospector
• Three per cent settler

Identifying the values of foster carers can help fostering services understand why people make the decision to care for other children. This in turn can help services to find the best way of engaging existing foster carers through support and supervision, and can also assist them in targeting their recruitment message to reach different members of the community.

For example, pioneers have a strong desire for fairness and a keen sense of what is right or wrong. Being treated fairly and being involved in decision making are very important to pioneers. This knowledge should prompt fostering services to consult with and engage their current foster carers, while understanding that pioneers will be the first to respond to what they see as a moral call to action should also help fostering services to shape their recruitment messages when they are targeting more pioneers. In contrast, prospectors are more driven by status and ambition, while settlers are focused on home and family. Each group will respond to a different approach.

James Foyle, foster carer recruitment and retention consultant for The Fostering Network and author of the research, said: ‘Around 7,200 foster carers have been approved in each of the past two years, demonstrating the success of fostering services’ recruitment initiatives across the country. This success should mean wider placement choice so that more children and young people can find the right home and family at the first time of asking.

‘But greater focus is needed on the utilisation of foster carers, as well as an onus on recruiting for specific groups of children. As the first Why foster carers care report identified, understanding and applying the Values Modes™ theory can improve all fostering services’ recruitment and retention performance.’

In addition to identifying the values of foster carers approved since April 2013, the survey also sought information on the key motivations for applying to foster. Support available and peer recommendations were identified as two of the primary motivators for selecting a fostering service, while money was not an important factor in the decision to foster for almost half of new foster carers.

You can download the Why foster carers care: part 2 report from our website.

-ENDS-

For media enquiries contact 020 7620 6425 or media@fostering.net

James Foyle, The Fostering Network’s foster carer recruitment expert and author of the report, is available for interview by contacting the press office.

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Notes to editors

1. Over 63,000 children live with over 52,500 foster families across the UK each day. The Fostering Network estimates that at least 8,370 new foster families are needed across the UK in 2015 alone. In particular there’s a real need to find foster carers for teenagers, disabled children and sibling groups.

2. The Fostering Network is the UK’s leading fostering charity. By working with foster families, and the services that support them, we help all children and young people who are fostered to achieve the very best they can.

3. What the values mean:

Pioneer

Typical Pioneer characteristics are that they try to put things together and understand the big picture; they’re concerned about the environment, society, world poverty, and so on; they’re always looking for new questions and answers; they hold a strong internal sense of what is right and what is wrong;  they have a strong desire for fairness, justice and equality; they’re self-assured and sense of self-agency; pioneers are generally positive about change, if it seems worthwhile; and they’re cautiously optimistic about the future.

Settler

The driving Settler needs are core physiological needs, safety and security and belonging. Some typical Settler characteristics are: Family and home, and caring for them, tend to be at the centre. For those living alone, friends take the place of family. Tradition and family structure are important. Prefer things to be ‘normal’. Naturally conservative (with a small ‘c’). Security conscious - wary of crime, violence and terrorism. Supportive of tough punishment for criminals. Wary of change, especially for its own sake. More comfortable with regular and routine situations. Concerned about what the future holds.

Prospector

The driving Prospector needs are the esteem of others and self-esteem. Some typical Prospector characteristics are: Success oriented. Always want to ‘be the best’ at what they are doing. Welcome opportunities to show their abilities. Take great pleasure in recognition and reward. Look to maximise opportunities. Will take opportunities for advancement and professional networking. Trend and fashion conscious. Like new ideas and new ways. Generally optimistic about the future.

4. Values Modes™ is owned by Cultural Dynamics. This research has been approved under licence with iMPOWER.

5. The survey was completed by over 350 foster carers approved since 1 April 2013.*