Faculty Member's New Book Offers a Practical Guide on Foster Parent Collaboration

Florida State University College of Social Work professor Dr. Lisa Schelbe collaborated with Amanda Preston, a social worker, foster parent, and adoptive parent, in writing Foster Parent Collaboration: A Guide for Social Workers and Other Professionals. The book was published by Oxford University Press and released in April 2025, providing a unique blend of personal and practice experience with research.

The authors wrote the book to help social workers and other professionals bridge the gap between child welfare professionals and foster parents, ensuring that the collaboration between these two vital groups leads to better outcomes for children in foster care.

“Foster Parent Collaboration is an important tool for social workers to better understand and work alongside foster parents," explained Preston." Research-backed information in this book will not only improve recruitment and retention of foster parents but will support stability and outcomes for children in foster care.”

Foster Parent Collaboration addresses the critical role foster parents play in the child welfare system. Foster parents provide daily care for children who have been removed from their parents due to maltreatment and other issues. Despite their crucial role, many foster parents quit within their first year for many reasons, including inadequate support and resources from the child welfare system. This high turnover rate leads to placement instability, which negatively impacts the children's outcomes.

The book acts as a call-to-action and guidebook for social workers and other professionals to increase collaboration with foster parents and address systemic challenges within the child welfare system. It provides readers with a deeper understanding of foster parents and their vital role.

“Within the book, Amanda and I unpack the complex challenges foster parents face in the child welfare system resulting in reduced retention rates of foster parents and ultimately increased placement instability for children in foster care,” co-author Lisa Schelbe explains. “We outline how the collaboration between foster parents and professionals in the child welfare system can improve child outcomes. It’s our hope this book can make a difference for children.”

One of the unique features of the book is its practical approach. Each chapter includes sections titled "A Family Portrait" and "Social Worker Snapshot," which provide real-life examples and reflection questions to facilitate learning. Additionally, throughout the chapters “Sketch of a Case” sections are included that detail circumstances foster parents navigate.

Drawn from actual cases, these brief scenarios highlight realities of fostering that many people may not consider. The book also contains tables, figures, and checklists to summarize key points and serve as tools for social workers and other professionals. Each chapter concludes with a “Foster Parent Frame” that presents the information in the chapter to a foster parent audience.

Foster Parent Collaboration offers tangible suggestions and tools for social workers to engage meaningfully with foster parents and promote systemic change. By fostering collaboration and understanding, social workers can work towards a renewed foster care system that prioritizes the safety, permanency, and well-being of all children in foster care.