Vânia Salvador Pinto

University of East Anglia

Primary mentor: Dr Birgit Larsson

Second mentor: Professor Núria Fuentes Peláez

Research topic title: The role of foster carers in meeting children’s developmental and identity needs in England, Portugal and Spain.

Research project description: The number of children who have been removed from their birth families for reasons such as neglect and/or abuse and have been placed in care has been increasing over the years, for instance, in England, 83,840 children were in care in 2023, against 60,820 in 2003. These children are among the most vulnerable groups in society. Foster care is the widely preferred type of placement for the majority of these children, however, differences between countries emerge when it comes to the use of foster care and how foster carers are expected to perform the role, that is, as parents, professionals or a combination of both. These differences can condition how foster carers support children’s development and identity formation and, particularly promote their sense of belonging to both the foster family and birth family (i.e. multifamily membership). International comparisons can, therefore, shed light on cultural differences, best practices and areas for mutual learning, which can ultimately contribute to children’s outcomes.

In my PhD thesis, I explored the role of foster carers in England and Portugal and focused on understanding the different elements of the role and how these could influence children’s outcomes. For this, I conducted focus groups with a total of 99 participants between England and Portugal. Children and young adults with foster care experience, foster carers and social workers shared their perspectives on “what makes a good foster carer” and how placement success could be measured. Moreover, a total of 740 foster carers in England and 53 foster carers in Portugal filled in a survey where they reported on their fostering competencies, the quality of their relationship with children and children’s difficulties. The most relevant findings that emerged from this research were that in England, some foster carers had difficulties in promoting children’s sense of belonging to the foster family, while, in Portugal, the difficulties were around promoting children’s sense of belonging to their birth family; and that a lower quality of the relationship between foster carers and children could negatively influence children’s development and identity formation.

This fellowship aims to generate societal impact in England, Portugal (where I conducted my PhD research and am carrying out further research) and Spain (where I am conducting a research visit and further research), by advancing the understanding of the role of foster carers, which can contribute to improving foster care provision and consequently lead to better outcomes for children in foster care. This will be achieved through planned activities that will further this academic field; specifically, I am working on two articles on the findings of my PhD thesis, developed a funding proposal and currently carrying out further research related to the PhD. In this research, I am conducting focus groups to explore how young people in foster care in England, Portugal and Spain describe their identity and perceive the contributions of foster carers to their identity development, with a focus on multifamily membership. The findings of this new piece of research and my PhD will be contextualised within the national and international literature, practice context, legal framework and policies, and tailored for dissemination next to academics, foster carers, social workers and children in foster care. Moreover, evidence relevant to national policies and strategies will be directly shared with key policymakers, considering their pivotal role in driving change in policy and practice. Most of these activities have also been designed to build and consolidate my academic, policy and practice networks, thereby increasing opportunities for impact.

Therefore, this fellowship will enhance the knowledge of different stakeholders on the role of foster carers and their contributions to children’s development and identity formation, as well as support my early career progression and future research aspirations.

Publications:

Pinto, V. S., & Luke, N. (under review). The role of foster carers and children’s outcomes in England and Portugal. Children and Youth Services Review – Special Issue Social Justice in Children, Youth and Family Welfare: Unmasking Hidden Complexities.

Holmes, L., Pinto, V. S., Wroe, L. E., Peace, D. and Firmin, C. (2024) ‘Relocating Adolescents’: The Costs of Out-of-Area Placements as a Response to Extra-Familial Risk/Harm, The British Journal of Social Work, 109, https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcae109

Anjos, C., Magalhães, E., Graça, J., Pinto, V. S., Baptista, J., & Pinheiro, M. (2023). Perceived barriers, drivers and enablers to becoming a foster family: An exploratory study in Portugal. Children and Youth Services Review, 145. https://doi.org/10.1016/ j.childyouth.2023.106811

Magalhães, E., Costa, P., Pinto, V. S., Graça, J., Baptista, J., Ferreira, S., Castro, E., Anjos, C., & Gouveia, L. (2022). Reasons, willingness, and intention to be a foster family: A community-sample study. Children and Youth Services Review, 142. https://doi.org/10.1016/ j.childyouth.2022.106648

Pinto, V. S., & Luke, N. (2022). The role of foster carers in England and Portugal: Is it solely a parenting role? Children & Society, 36(2), 249-265. https://doi.org/10.1111/ chso.12536

Gouveia, L., Magalhães, E., & Pinto, V. S. (2021): Foster families: A systematic review of intention and retention factors. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 30, 2766–2781.

https:// doi.org/10.1007/s10826-021-02051-w

Planned publications:

- How can foster carers in England better promote positive children’s outcomes? Exploring the different elements of the role and their interactions. The target journal is Child & Family Social Work.

- Defining a good foster carer: An international meta-synthesis of stakeholders’ perspectives. The target journal is Children and Youth Services Review.

Contact details:

Email:v.salvador-pinto@uea.ac.uk

Begum Zorlu

City St Georges, University of London

Primary mentor: Dr Sasikumar Sundaram

Second mentor: Dr Baris Cayli Messina

Research topic title: Global South Populism and the Contestation of the Global Order

Research project description: This project explores how the rise of populist authoritarian leadership in the Global South is reshaping the dynamics of international politics, with a focus on Turkey and Venezuela. It examines how these states challenge the global order through new forms of partnerships, evolving security narratives, and assertive foreign policy strategies. The research addresses three core themes. First, it investigates how populist leaders form cross-ideological partnerships that contest dominant global norms, shedding light on solidaristic relationships that defy traditional rules of international engagement. Second, it examines how populism transforms security discourses within countries, particularly how populist governments frame domestic opposition as foreign threats to justify crackdowns and the erosion of democratic rights. Third, it analyzes the use of new technologies like drones as instruments of populist foreign policy, focusing on Turkey’s expanding role in the global arms trade and how military exports are framed as empowering smaller nations to resist global powers—raising critical questions around ethics, human rights, and the future of warfare. Employing contentious frame analysis, the project explores how political narratives evolve and how populist actors continually shape and reshape their identities within changing global contexts. The findings will be shared through international conferences, workshops, and collaborations with research groups, think tanks, and NGOs, with the aim of engaging policymakers and civil society in ongoing debates around foreign policy, democracy, and global governance in an era marked by the rise of populism.

Publications:

PSA Blog, Is Turkey Starting a New Peace Process with the PKK?

LSE Human Rights Blog, A human rights perspective on Turkey’s drone exports

PSA Blog, Approaching the Turkish Elections with a Global Lens

PSA Blog, Tensions Rising in The Mediterranean: The Interplay of Domestic and Foreign Policy in Turkey

Editor, Co-author, Methodological Approaches in Kurdish Studies Theoretical and Practical Insights from the Field

Planned publications:

- Populist Empathy: The Politics of Solidarity Between Venezuela and Turkey

- Securitisation and Authoritarianism in Turkey and Venezuela

- The Drone Effect: Populist Foreign Policy and Technological Nationalism

Contact details:

Email: begumzorlu@gmail.com