The biological children of foster parents in the foster family

This paper derives from a study of 15 biological children of foster parents, ages 6–12. While foster children have quite properly been the subject of much investigation, practically no research has explored the reactions of the foster parents' own children to the fostering experience. Findings of the study and examples from interviews will be cited which point to the possibility that these children exhibit, among other things, separation anxiety and superego conflicts related to fostering. Certain differences between the reactions of the younger (ages 6–8) and the older (ages 9–12) children will be highlighted.Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of Social Welfare degree at New York University School of Social Work, 1985. The author wishes to thank Dr. George Frank, Emily Shachter and Dr. Irving Steingart for their valuable suggestions.