One of the most problematic areas in Foster care is the issue relating to physical touch. What is appropriate? And what might be deemed; where the risk of an allegation has to be considered, inappropriate? One of the saddest things about the many children who come into care is that they will have been neglected. Often this can mean having experienced little or no physical contact. Or worse still, they may have been subject to physical or sexual abuse which means they are confused or ambiguous regarding any kind of physical contact. Add to the mix that no two children – or indeed foster carers are alike, and it is quickly apparent that one simple formula applicable to all situations and individuals is not available. Nor ever will be. We all sense from past experiences and our current lives that touch is essential. In grappling with this in the context of foster care, the Government; as part of the Fostering service regulations in England (2011), requires that:
“(foster) carers should provide a level of care, including physical affection, which is designed to demonstrate warmth, friendliness and positive regard for children and reflects the child’s ability to express their need for comfort, re-assurance and understanding form an emotionally responsive foster carer. These are the fundamentals of a healthy childhood.”
The underlying nature of the problem – and revealingly a failure to understand the human dynamics in play – is shown up in this government guidance through the use of a single word: ‘designed’. When a parent communicates through touch, it is an action is not consciously designed. The same applies to adults. We do not think in terms of design when we touch a loved one – or even a friend. It is an act that is characterised by spontaneity – the very quality which enable us to perceive it as genuine. Such human interactions reside in both the conscious and unconscious mind – realms of incredible subtlety and constant change.
Why touch is important for foster children
It would be helpful if the government in proffering such guidance about touch, thought about it in less simplistic terms. Approaching it from a more analytical basis might be helpful: we can get a measure as to just how important touch is. Haptic communication is nonverbal communication that is concerned with the ways in which people – as well as animals – communicate and interact through the sense of touch.Touch, or haptics, comes from the ancient Greek word haptikos: it is extremely important for communication and vital for survival. So we are dealing with a subject that is bound up with life and death. Could there be anything more fundamental? Or indeed rooted in our bio-chemical selves: Primates touch each other often to ease tensions among the group in a range of situations. It has direct effects on the brain as the hormone Oxytocin is produced through touch. This hormone helps human beings to connect to others. It promotes ‘feel-good sensations’ that foster a sense of happiness and well being. Physical touch improves the functioning of the immune system. A study on women revealed that being given hugs by their partners lowered heart rates as well as blood pressure.
The neuroscientist Edmund Ross discovered that physical touch stimulates the brain’s orbitfrontal cortex which links directly to feelings of compassion and reward. Other studies have shown that touch promotes feelings of trust and safety. It stimulates the vagus nerve in the body which is intimately linked with our ‘compassion response’ and the production of oxytocin. We all too easily forget we are primates. But we should keep this front of mind: humans and chimpanzees share about 96 percent of our DNA sequence. Baboons spend a large proportion of their daily lives touching through grooming.
Foster care stocktake endorses the need for physical warmth
The authors of the 2018 foster care stocktake, Nary and Owers had this to say:
“All too often we found that foster carers believed that demonstrations of physical affection were frowned upon, or they had been taught to be fearful of potential allegations.” and continued –
“We heard many anecdotes, sufficient to worry us that a belief that it was professionally discouraged, or anxiety about allegations, discourage foster carers from the natural expression of warmth and affection towards their foster children, meaning these children are in some cases deprived of the physical contact and comfort they need. The Department for Education, which publishes voluminous guidance on every other aspect of fostering, is silent on this issue.”
Nary and Owers were positive about the advice and guidance from TACT (a charity for children in care) who state –
“showing affection is a very important part of your caring role and should never be avoided because of the fear of allegations. We are absolutely of the view that physical contact should be encouraged and celebrated in fostering. Children, particularly infants, should be held, cuddled and kissed in the same way parents and carers from all cultures across the world comfort their children. And a growing body of evidence suggests that doing so is demonstrably good for children and can help them to thrive.”
Of significance as well, Nary and Owers had this to say about Ofsted’s views:
“It is important that foster carers are sensitive to the wishes, feelings and experiences of individual children. But we wouldn’t want to see an overly-cautious, inflexible approach to their role that would mean children wouldn’t receive the kind of warm and nurturing care they need and deserve. That includes physical affection.”
And went on to say:
“Department for Education guidance and regulations are silent on this key issue and such silence – which is disappointing – must encourage the view that physical affection is considered inappropriate.”
What should foster children be entitled to expect?
Touch, hugging and physical affection is essential to our biological and mental well being throughout our lives. Humans at any age are not meant to live in isolation. The actual reality is we are in a world where we are increasingly isolated. The irony is that social media creates the illusion that we are not. We need touch – loneliness has now been proven to cause serious adverse effects leading to illness and a fifty percent increase in risk of premature death. Obviously children must have this basic need met. What is lacking, and the lack of guidance from the DfE makes this clear, is an agreed framework where foster carers can demonstrate physical affection without fear of allegations being made. The authors of the stocktake have identified the issue, but do not go beyond urging the DfE to support the demonstration of personal and physical warmth in their future guidance. What is required – and quickly – is the organisation and delivery of foster care that permits such physical contact. And this is not beyond the wit of man: the Mockingbird Fostering Project, being pioneered in many ways by The Fostering Network, involves a group of foster carers located in a ‘hub’. Organisation along these lines – an open ‘communication network’ – would reduce the possibility/opportunity for inappropriate physical contact.
The scrutators who have produced the recent foster car stocktake have analysed much. There has to be as much effort as regards implementation. Our children deserve no less.
All blogs written by Will Saunders: Rainbow Fostering – Content Management/Marketing
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25th June, 2018
It has now been announced by the Government in Westminster it will be making available fifteen additional hours of free childcare for foster children. This will start later this year in September (cont.) https://bit.ly/2kJHpsO
Photos: Upsplash Gift Habeshaw/Nathan Anderson
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