Exploring the Research-Practice Gap in Foster Care: A Grounded Theory Study

Nationally, there are challenges recruiting and retaining foster carers. A scoping review identified that whilst there is a depth of research and recommendations published about foster carers’ needs and experiences, foster carers still report that their needs remain unmet in supporting care experienced children.

To address this identified research-practice gap, the current study sought to explore what is currently in practice to support the needs of foster carers. It set out to understand what impacts on implementing research knowledge into practice within foster care, including barriers, from the perspectives of fostering professionals.

To develop a model to explain the research-practice gap and provide recommendations for improving fostering practices, a Grounded Theory methodology with a critical realist lens was chosen. Eighteen documents relating to fostering practice were analysed as part of theoretical sampling to identify areas to explore within the focus groups. Four focus groups were conducted with social workers and managers working in fostering services in England. A follow-up questionnaire, completed by nine focus group participants, supported the construction of the emerging theory and model.

The Theory of the Research-Practice Gap and an adapted Ecological Model was generated. Grounded in the data, the presented theory indicates that the lack of synergy and continuity across fostering practice is due to the distribution of resources (specifically money), differing values held by the systems, and the ever-changing social context. This results in the research-practice gap within foster care.

The literature supports that the Ecological model provides a comprehensive framework for understanding the research-practice gap in foster care, offering insights into the complexity of implementing research knowledge into practice. A summary of implications, recommendations and areas of future research are provided.