Theoretical Perspectives for Child Welfare Practice on Kinship Foster Care Families

To provide deepened and expanded discussions of the advantages of kinship foster care, this paper attempts to understand the theoretical backgrounds of kinship care. The paper also analyzes research studies regarding caregiving environments and well-being outcomes of children in kinship foster care to examine whether empirical evidence supports theoretical conjectures. In addition, the paper discusses the status of knowledge concerning kinship foster care and the rigorousness of research methods. The paper's analysis and discussion are intended to provide theoretical perspectives for suppositions in practice and, eventually, guide child welfare practice.