Date of Graduation
Summer 2022
Degree
Master of Science in Early Childhood and Family Development
Department
Early Childhood and Family Development
Committee Chair
Joanna Cemore Brigden
Abstract
The effectiveness of many foster parent training curricula in the United States foster care system is basically unknown (Adkins et al., 2018). Furthermore, there is little to no research that indicate when and how attachment-focused interventions and trainings are being implemented in the United States. Thus, the initial purpose of this study was to examine and evaluate interventions and trainings pertaining to attachment that exist throughout the United States public foster care system. As this study progressed however, the purpose shifted to answering this question: How is the Midwest foster care system training staff and foster parents on issues of attachment and how is the system being held accountable? To gather data on attachment-specific trainings and interventions, the researcher navigated and collected information regarding attachment and trainer qualifications from each state government webpage as well as workers from the public foster care system within each state. Training material was requested from each state; however, the researcher was not able to collect any training material. The researcher analyzed and compared each state and their attachment-based interventions and/or training within the use of two tables and two graphs. The states that utilized the TIPS-MAPPS training were found to follow the recommendations of past research regarding trainer qualifications. Kansas was the only state out of the seven states to have all six components within Table 1 found. This study found that a large portion of the information being sought was unable to be determined. Which directly correlates to the lack of accountability within the public foster care system. Thus, the researcher was able to conclude that public foster care policies should all, at least, have a required attachment-based training for foster parents that should be taught by at least two qualified instructors. Within the foster care system, these trainings materials should be accessible through each state’s government website and easy to open and read through.
Keywords
public foster care, attachment, qualities of attachment, states of mind, parental sensitivity, attachment-based training, attachment-based
Subject Categories
Child Psychology | Developmental Psychology | Social Work
Copyright
© Brooke T. Crowell
Recommended Citation
Crowell, Brooke T., "The Examination and Evaluation of the Public Foster Care System's Attachment-Based Intervention and Trainings for Foster Parents in the West North Division of the Midwestern States" (2022). MSU Graduate Theses. 3788.
https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/3788
Open Access
