The helping relationship in the foster care context: perspectives from parent-caseworker dyads

While the helping relationship is often viewed as a core element of child welfare practice, there is limited research on how birth parents and caseworkers describe the helping relationship in the foster care context. We interviewed six parent-worker dyads individually (N = 12) to explore how parents and caseworkers describe their helping relationship and perspectives on the role of the helping relationship on parents' participation in foster care case activities. We used thematic analysis to analyze data within and between dyads. We developed two main themes: (a) foundations of the helping relationship and (b) case participation influences. Parents and caseworkers endorsed similar skills, characteristics, and behaviors from caseworkers that supported a good helping relationship: honesty and openness, nonjudgmental attitude, respect, and communication. Parents and caseworkers had different views on the role of the helping relationship in parents' case participation. Parents emphasized their children as motivation for engaging in case activities; yet they indicated the helping relationship can support or hinder their participation in services. Caseworkers elevated the role of the helping relationship in participation more than did parents. Parents and caseworkers also identified parents' context and agency/system factors as influencing parent participation.