Correspondence R Gilligan Department of Social Studies Univereity of Dublin — Trinity College Dublin 2 Ireland The foster carer experience in Ireland: findings frcm a postal survey R Gittigan Department of Social Studies, University of Dublin — Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland Accepted for publication 20 September 1995 Summary Findings from a postai survey of foster carers in a region of ireiand are reported. Whiie a majority of the respondents seem broadly contented in their roie, it is ciear that some are experiencing difficuities of different kinds. Probiems experi- enced by different minorities of these foster carers inciuded concerns with the ievei of administrative and professional support, worries about being parted from the chiid, and probiems in the reiationship with the chiid's biological parents. Responses on motivations to foster suggest a high level of aitruistic motivation. The possibie implication of these and other findings are discussed. Keywords: carers, foster care, morale, motivation, needs, support Child: care, health and development VOLUME 22 NUMBER 2 1996 PAGES 85-98 Introduction The proportion of children in care in the Republic of Ireland who are fostered has been growing steadily over the past decade (Gilligan 1993), rising from half in 1983 to almost three in four (73.9%) of children in care in 1992 (DoH 1987, 1995). At the end of 1992 (the latest time for which data are available), there was a total of 3090 children (or 2.6 per 1000 under 18 years) in the care of the eight regional health boards responsible for public care in the Republic of Ireland in 1992. One earlier regional study has shown that, when compared with all children © 1996 Blackwell Science Ltd 85