2019 Volume 60 Issue 3 Pages 76-89
This paper aims to discuss what foster care social work is and how it has been particularly conducted by Child Guidance Centre (CGC) workers in the post-war period. In addition, the discussion seeks to clearly indicate the roles that CGC workers must play. This study adopted both quantitative and qualitative approaches. A questionnaire survey was administered to CGC workers in Kanagawa Prefecture, and a questionnaire survey was carried out on 51 households of foster caregivers with a child or young person placement from Kawasaki City. Additionally, a semi-structured interview was conducted with five foster caregivers in Kawasaki City. The findings revealed deficiencies in foster care social work. Furthermore, the research found some key tasks that foster care social workers must perform. These include finding current and potential care needs in real time, actively listening to all involved parties, sharing information and direction with everyone in the team, providing sufficient-quality services to meet children’s/young people’s and caregivers’ needs, managing and organizing social support locally, and aiding youth independence and family support for reunification.
