A needs assessment of caregivers in children's homes

Abstract

Caregivers in children’s homes are the front-end workers who care for looked-after children daily. Looked-after children in children’s homes constitute a particularly vulnerable group, who are known to reveal mental health problems, which complicate the care-giving role. In conjunction with the lack of training and support, caregivers experience great challenges. This research study explores and describes the training and holistic care-giving needs of caregivers, by applying qualitative needs assessment design, where the responses of 12caregivers are explored and described. Data from the literature and semi-structured interviews and questionnaires was categorised into themes. Overarching findings include altruistic needs, the need for support and to be valued, with the researcher making recommendations and providing a convincing argument for immediate therapeutic support for caregivers.