Family foster care in the project system – analysis of support recipients in the context of deinstitutionalization of social services

The article presents an analysis of the target group of a systemic project aimed at the family foster care sector, implemented in one of the cities in the Upper Silesian agglomeration. The aim of the research was to diagnose the condition of foster families, their needs, difficulties, and expectations regarding the support system. The study employed triangulation of qualitative methods: secondary source analysis, netnography, case studies, and free-flowing interviews. The results indicate that most project participants were kinship families, often with limited material and health resources but strong emotional motivation. EU-funded systemic projects play an important role in the deinstitutionalization of foster care, though their effectiveness depends on continuous support and integrated inter-institutional cooperation. The author also highlights the need for ethical reflection on the documentation and promotion of projects involving children, as well as the development of sustainable ethical standards in this area.