Foster Care And The Role Of The Social Worker In Foster Care Communities In Romania
Keywords:
Foster care, social work, child protection, professional role, community-based practice, family support, social services, professionalization, child welfare systemsAbstract
Foster care represents a crucial component of contemporary child protection systems, offering children deprived of parental care the opportunity to grow in a stable, family-like environment. Within this framework, the social worker holds a central and multidimensional role, acting simultaneously as coordinator, advocate, counselor, and monitor of the child’s wellbeing. This paper provides a descriptive and theoretical analysis of the social worker’s functions in foster care communities, exploring the ways in which professional intervention supports both the..foster..families..and..the..children..in..their..care.
Drawing on theories of ecological systems, professional role identity, and strengthbased social work practice, the study highlights how effective social work contributes to maintaining the balance between the child’s individual needs, family dynamics, and institutional requirements. The paper also examines the ongoing challenges related to professional supervision, inter-agency collaboration, and emotional resilience among practitioners working in foster care, in Romania.
