Young People’s Experiences of Professionals’ Handling of the Matching Process When Placed in Foster Care in Sweden

This paper will analyze social work in relation to out-of-home care, more specifically foster care. The concept of matching refers to the process when the social services select a foster home to fit an individual child for placement. The study’s aim is to investigate young people’s experiences of professionals’ handling of the matching process when placed in foster care. The empirical data is based on 10 semi-structured interviews made in 2023-2024, with young people having experience of placement in out-of-home care by the social services. Participants have been recruited from various parts of Sweden. The research questions are: How did the young people experience professionals’ work in the matching process? What do young people express as possibilities for a stable and continuous placement? As theoretical concept, we have been inspired by Lundy’s (2007) perspective on participation. Preliminary findings indicate that young people would like that professionals communicate better about plans and decisions in the matching process. A wish for belonging to and being part of the family is expressed for, but the young people rarely feel this is the case. Often there is a lack of a matching process altogether. Findings indicate further that what seemed to be a well-matched family early in the process, turned out not to be the case, after some time. Participants’ suggest recurrent and unexpected visits by professionals to the foster families to secure the young person’s well-being. Further, professionals are suggested to put a greater focus on the family and the young person, building a relationship, during the placement.