How inclusive and representative is research on foster caring in the UK? Findings from a scoping review

The importance of inclusivity and representation is increasingly recognised in fostering services and within research to ensure that services are meeting the needs of all the diverse communities they aim to support. However, the extent to which research with foster carers is inclusive in its participant recruitment is not clear. A scoping review was conducted to explore the characteristics of foster carers who take part in research, how these characteristics are reported and the methods used by researchers to promote inclusivity and diversity in their recruitment. Across the 82 journal articles included, the review found substantial variation in how studies report the characteristics of participants, and some characteristics such as disability and religion are absent across the literature. Notwithstanding the inconsistencies in reporting, the review found that some communities of carers are underrepresented within research compared with national levels, including kinship foster carers and non-White carers. There is also a lack of discussion about inclusivity and participant representation within research papers, indicating that although there is broader recognition of the need for inclusive and representative research in health and social care, there is substantial room for improvement within research with foster carers.