'Naming the unnameable': A service evaluation of a reflective practice group for foster carers.

Background: A reflective practice group was delivered to foster carers, designed to provide support and promote attachment relationships between carers and their children. The current project aimed to evaluate the quality and perceived suitability of the group by exploring the following aims: (1) Evaluate the group on measures of reflective functioning, parental self-efficacy and parental stress; (2) Explore foster carers’ subjective experiences of the group. Methods: The reflective practice group was delivered to eight foster carers in South East England. The evaluation employed a mixed-methods design consisting of two phases. In Phase 1, eight foster carers completed four outcome measures (pre- and post-intervention) assessing reflective functioning, parental self-efficacy and parental stress. Descriptive statistics (mean scores) on pre- and post-measures were calculated to facilitate preliminary comparisons using a paired samples t-test. Additionally, a short feedback form was administered to all participants. In Phase 2, five carers participated in a semi-structured interview regarding their experiences of the group. Qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis (Braun and Clarke, 2006). These multiple data sources were analysed concurrently using a triangulation approach (Creswell and Plano-Clark, 2017) to inform a richer understanding of the project aims. Results: An analysis of outcome measures showed improvements in one domain of reflective functioning. Analysis of interview data generated five themes relating to the foster carers’ experiences of the group: ‘A uniquely safe space’, ‘A therapeutic process’, ‘Promoting connectedness’, ‘What I want vs what I got vs what I need’ and ‘The role of facilitators’. Discussion: The evaluation revealed that the group was widely regarded as beneficial and appropriate for foster carers. Participants reported experiencing a safe and therapeutic environment where they could openly address challenging thoughts and emotions. This reportedly contributed towards improved carer–child relationships, a reduction in perceived stress and enhanced emotional wellbeing. While there were notable improvements observed in carers’ reflective functioning, a more comprehensive larger-scale evaluation is necessary to thoroughly explore the quantitative findings.