Denby conducted some preliminary research in this area while teaching at the University of Tennessee. Results of this study revealed that cultural differences do play a role in the fostering experience. Denby says this is particularly true with respect to discipline. But many African-Americans report that they believe in a firm hand, and that may at times include spanking. Denby says church attendance is another area in which many African-American parents disagree with agency policy.
Agency rules forbid foster parents from forcing a child to attend religious services.
But church is an important part of the African-American culture, and foster parents believe they cannot effectively raise a child without this influence, she says. While Denby believes that these findings have important implications for the future recruitment and training of minority foster parents, she insists that better support from the foster care system and enhanced training for all foster parents is needed to encourage satisfaction and retention among foster parents. UNLV social work professor Ramona Denby is concerned about the critical shortage of foster homes and the long-range effects this will have on the nation s most vulnerable population of children. Denby is relatively certain that her research will have a positive effect on the way in which foster parents are recruited and trained in the future. It's unfortunate that the rest of society doesn't pay as much attention to the results of this kind of research.