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What about us?: A qualitative exploration of bullying involvement for foster children

Hannah Brett, Goldsmiths, University of London; Alice Jones Bartoli, Goldsmiths, University of London; Peter K. Smiths, Goldsmiths, University of London

The number of children living in foster care in the UK is currently at its highest ever level, with 57,380 children living in foster homes between 2019 and 2020 (Ofsted, 2020); the Department for Education predict that this figure will continue to rise. Research has found these children are at an increased risk of psychological and social difficulties, including peer violence. However, there is limited research on the bullying experiences of these children, both at school and within the foster home. Moreover, to our knowledge there has not been any research exploring this topic directly from the perspectives of the foster children themselves. To address this, semi-structured interviews were conducted with foster care leavers (aged 18-26) and foster parents, which allowed for a multi-dimensional exploration of bullying experiences. Thematic analysis was utilised, and the results will be discussed in detail. Alongside contributing a unique insight into this topic, these findings have the potential to inform training programmes for foster parents, as well as helping to understand the risk that these children are facing.

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