On Trial at Home: A Systematic Review of Foster Carers' Experiences of Allegations
Luisa Iacomelli, Cora Sargeant, Dennis GolmABSTRACT
Objective
This systematic literature review explored foster carers' experiences of allegations made against them, with the aim of informing practice and policy.
Background
Foster carers occupy a uniquely vulnerable role within child welfare systems, where personal and professional boundaries are often blurred. Allegations of harm are relatively common and contribute to distress, placement instability, and carer attrition. However, carers' lived experiences of allegations remain underexplored, limiting the development of supportive and transparent practice.
Method
Using thematic synthesis, this review analysed 10 qualitative papers from the United Kingdom, United States and Australia, published between 1991 and 2025, which captured foster carers' experiences of allegations. ENTREQ and PRISMA guidelines were followed to ensure transparency and rigour in the review process. An inductive coding approach was used to generate themes.
Results
Across the available qualitative literature, foster carers largely described allegations as distressing and damaging. These experiences were conceptualised as a ‘Funnel of Failures’, with six themes highlighting recurring absences, procedural flaws and systemic vulnerabilities.
Conclusion
Allegation processes highlighted important systemic and relational challenges within foster care systems.
Implications
Key implications and policy recommendations are described to inform more supportive and transparent practice, including improvements to training, independent support, and system‐level responses.