Colin Chatten

1

Participating in research as an interviewer a
foster carers perspective

• Colin Chatten
• International Foster Care Organisation Core
  Assets
• colin_chatten_at_yahoo.com
• Nikki Luke
• Rees Centre for Research in Fostering and
  Education
• nikki.luke_at_education.ox.ac.uk

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Carer-interviewers

• The Rees Centres approach
• Working with carer-researchers
• Feedback from carer-researchers
• One carers experience
• Recommendations for researchers

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Peer-researchers The Rees Centres approach

• User groups are involved in the design,
  implementation and analysis of research projects
• 22 foster carer-researchers recruited from local
  authority and independent fostering service
  providers
• In-house training in research interviewing
  techniques
• Involved in three projects to date
• Quality assurance conducted at an early stage and
  throughout transcription process
• A further 7 carers are awaiting training next
  month

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Working with carer-researchers

• Advantages of working with carer-researchers
• translating the research process for
  interviewees
• rapport with interviewees through shared
  understanding
• ability to recognise and follow up on interesting
  responses
• Challenges
• matching carers to locations and services
• fitting in work around existing commitments
• being mindful of biases/assumptions/jargon

5
What has your experience been like working as an
interviewer on the peer support study?
I have really enjoyed engaging with foster carers
and have been privileged to listen to their
experiences - the most striking aspect of the
interviews is that the foster carers are willing
and more importantly want their experiences to be
heard - both negative and positive to effect
change for the better. (Sue)
I find I am better at the face to face interviews
than the phone interviews because the expressions
of interviewees are easier to read. I had to make
sure they understood the questions so they would
give their own views. Peoples answers to the
same questions can be completely different.
(Theresa)
6
What has your experience been like working as an
interviewer on the peer support study?
The experience was interesting and uplifting
because it was a reminder of how many good people
there are prepared to help others. In a practical
sense it was difficult because having three
placements at that time, the key moments for
getting hold of people were when my youngsters
were around and needing attention. (Jane)
I have found the experience enlightening and
challenging.  I was not prepared for how
welcoming the group of carers would be when we
arrived to carry out the interviews. (Colin)
7
What have you learned in the process?
I have learned that some foster carers don't feel
they can speak out about how they are being
treated in case this has a negative effect on
their relationship with social services. Also
that the peer support set up is a very valued but
patchy service depending on where you live.
Perhaps not surprising that more rural areas are
not as well served as cities - however the need
for support remains. (Sue)
I have learned to be patient when listening to
the interviewees interpretation of the question.
Many interviewees can use the session as a
complaints interview. I try to keep the
interviewees on track with the questions.
(Theresa)
8
What have you learned in the process?
I learned that communication is not good between
procurers and foster carers. Foster carers seem
to have a jig-saw compilation of knowledge
which is patchy. (Jane)
I have learned that there are many different ways
to organise and facilitate peer support groups
for foster carers. (Colin)
9
Has anything surprised you?
In some instances foster carers were not kept in
the loop about placements especially when
cancelled at the last minute. Overwhelmingly from
the interviews - the lack of communication
between social services or agency and the foster
carers was concerning. (Sue)
I interviewed some Asian carers and had to have
an interpreter as English was their second
language and I have a strong northern accent,
however we managed! What surprised me was the
three way conversation between the Asian carer,
the interpreter and myself. I was also surprised
that two foster carers have met through a support
group and are now in a relationship. (Theresa)
10
Has anything surprised you?
I was surprised at how much empathy I felt for
the foster carers that I interviewed. (Colin)
11
How do you strike the right balance with your
interviewees between being a fellow foster carer
and a researcher?
An interviewers role is to remain neutral,
however the interviewees are much more open if
they feel you as the interviewer has
understanding of their frustrations with systems.
Striking a balance is showing that you empathise
whilst neither condoning nor supporting their
view point. (Sue)
It is difficult to strike a balance between being
a foster carer and a researcher but I tried to be
as honest as possible and put them at their ease.
I try to keep on track with the question and to
be non-judgemental. Some of them said they might
be interested in becoming researchers. (Theresa)
12
How do you strike the right balance with your
interviewees between being a fellow foster carer
and a researcher?
Its probably good for the foster carers to know
that the interviewer is a foster carer but for
the interviewer to be up front and say Im a
foster carer myself so I have some understanding
of your experiences, but I am putting that aside
today and want to talk about you. (Jane)
I had to consciously stay on topic in order not
to start discussing my own similar experiences
and trying to help them solve some of their
challenges. I had a desire to veer away from the
interview into a peer to peer discussion. (Colin)
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Colin Chatten

• Colin Chatten
• International Foster Care Organisation Core
  Assets
• colin_chatten_at_yahoo.com
•  

14
Recommendations

• Research teams seeking to engage service users as
  co-researchers should
• Offer accessible training
• Give opportunities for practice-runs of interview
  schedules and technology
• Provide early feedback
• Encourage listening over talking
• Discuss how much they can (and should) balance
  the tension in roles
• Ensure they clarify jargon / insider knowledge
  in recordings
• Regularly review commitments and have more
  co-researchers than you think you will need