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Me and my foster family: assessing the feasibility of a flexible intervention

  • Charlotte Bredahl Jacobsen
  • , Siddhartha Baviskar
  • , Anne Bølling Frederiksen
  • , Ida Schrøder
  • , Christine Marie Hildeshejn
  • , Sofie Danneskiold-Samsøe

Research output: Journal Article or Conference Article in JournalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

Abstract

This article reports on a feasibility study of Me and My Foster Family (MOMP), a complex intervention designed to embed standardized screening questionnaires, the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and the Attentive to Learning questionnaire (ATT: LEARN), into routine social work with children in family foster care in Denmark. The study examines whether a flexible implementation can enhance feasibility, using a multi-theoretical and context-sensitive approach to assessing feasibility.

The study was conducted across six municipalities over 19 months. Quantitative data comprised recruitment and screening completion rates for 300 children, while qualitative data came from interviews with caseworkers, foster care consultants, and managers; and observations of training and reflective meetings.

The study found that screening rates in terms of number and types of respondents varied widely across municipalities. Those maintaining stable administrative support and collaborative workflows achieved higher rates. Context‐sensitive adjustments—such as redefining inclusion criteria, adjusting local workflows or reallocating administrative resources—facilitated local fit yet also sometimes constrained long‐term routine use.

Further, despite chronic resource constraints, social workers demonstrated commitment to quality, often innovating locally to sustain use of MOMP tools. These findings indicate that flexible implementation approaches, including giving practitioners agency, can enhance feasibility and generate critical knowledge for adaptation before upscaling and impact evaluation. The study offers actionable insights for designing flexible implementation processes for interventions in resource‐limited child welfare contexts.
Original languageEnglish
JournalChildren and Youth Services Review
Volume181
Issue number108649
Pages (from-to)1-10
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Oct 2025
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Social work intervention
  • Feasibility
  • Family foster care
  • Screening questionnaires
  • Strengths and Difficulties
  • Questionnaire
  • Attentive to Learning questionnaire

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