A stable relationship for a stable placement : A qualitative interview study on the social worker's experience of the three-part parenthood

The purpose of the study was to investigate the social worker's attitude towards the three-part parenting, and how the relationship between them affected the foster care placement, as well as the challenges and limitations that affected the collaboration. The study used a qualitative interview method, where six social workers who work with or have worked with foster children were interviewed. A thematic analysis was used to analyze the empirical data. The results showed that social workers experienced that the relationship between the parties affected the foster child positively in a stable relationship, and negatively in an unstable relationship. The interaction, and how it worked, turned out to be a large part of how the relationship worked. The results also showed that social workers could be faced with challenges, for example, the biological parents' attitude towards the placement of the foster child. A conclusion that was drawn after discussing the results was that foster children need the parties in the three-part parenting having a functioning relationship. Another conclusion was that social workers had a great responsibility in acting as a supporting person to ensure that the family home and the biological parents would have a good relationship with each other.