Specialized Foster Care as an Alternative Therapeutic Out-of-Home Placement Model

Abstract

Specialized Foster Care (SFC) is reviewed as a community-based alternative placement for children who require out-of-home care along with therapy and specialized services-including those children who are emotionally and behaviorally disturbed, developmentally disabled, and medically disabled. It is suggested that SFC allows for synthesis of strengths from residential treatment and family foster care. Details of SFC programming are delineated, as found in the literature. Key assumptions on which SFC is based include the role of SFC parents as paraprofessionals who are carefully selected and trained to provide a therapeutic milieu, agency professionals who direct and monitor treatment, and agency policies that establish comprehensive supports. Additional features that are recommended but that are not universally implemented include involving the child's biological family, maximizing the therapeutic influence of the community, and providing aftercare services. Although SFC attempts to provide effective therapeutic programming in a cost-efficient manner within the optimal environment, little research or evaluation is available to determine its ability to do so.

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