Concept mapping the needs of grandmothers who take care of their grandchildren in formal foster care in Flanders

Concept mapping was used to identify the needs of grandparents who take care of their grandchildren in formal foster care in Flanders (Dutch speaking part of Belgium). One hundred and nine grandmothers were asked to describe their needs in response of the question: “What do you need to be a good foster parent for your grandchild(ren)?” Next, the unique responses were sorted by 41 grandmothers, and analyzed using multidimensional scaling and cluster analysis. Furthermore, grandmothers were asked to indicate the degree of importance of each statement. Twenty-eight unique responses were grouped into eight clusters. In descending order of importance these clusters referred to the parenting relationship with their grandchild, parenting conditions, support and trust in the future and the child's schooling, collaboration with and support from the foster care agency, material conditions, social support from the wider context, respite care, and contact arrangements. Their needs resemble the needs of regular foster parents, with the exception of some specific needs related to their specific situation, such as feeling ‘out of step’ with innovations and new technologies, health issues, finding a balance between the grandparent role and foster parent role, and the need for a positive and reassuring vision of the future. •Foster grandparents have specific needs related to their specific situation.•Foster grandparents risk feeling ‘out of step’ with innovations and new technologies.•Foster grandparents search a balance between the grandparent and foster parent role.•Foster grandparents are in need of a positive and reassuring vision of the future.•Health issues are an important topic for foster grandparents.