What is the incidence of criminal behaviour in foster children; what in the view of foster carers causes these behaviours; and what in the view of foster carers can be done to reduce criminal behaviour?

Abstract

This study had three major goals: (1) to discover the incidence of criminal behaviour in children within foster care, (2) what causes these criminal behaviours (in the view of foster carer), and finally (3) what can be done to reduce these behaviours? This project is from a qualitative point of view but is also using quantitative data (e.g. gender, age, the length of time of being a foster carer). By using the snowballing sample, results will be gathered from questionnaires given to foster carers from different agencies, followed by a focus group. Views, experiences and opinions from the foster carer will be gathered then analysed and compared. The hypothesis of this study was to find that foster children are more likely to show criminal behaviours than children who have grown up with their own biological parents due to the many rules and policies that foster carers must follow. However different to the suggested results, findings show that foster carers were more sympathetic and understanding towards foster children and understand why some children might show delinquent behaviour. Also some participants believe that it does not matter whether the child grew up in care or with their birth parents, wrong is wrong no matter who you are.