Daniela Reimer, Dr. phil., ZHAW Zürich

Daniela Reimer has conducted extensive research over the past 13 years on the biographies of young people from foster families at the University of Siegen, Germany.

Since autumn 2018 she has been a researcher and lecturer at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences ZHAW, Switzerland.

Daniela Reimer's research focuses primarily on the biographical experiences of former foster children. Her research is qualitative with a strong interest in socio-educational perspectives and a narrative approach. She has conducted studies on the transition to foster families from the children's point of view, on (foster) family cultures, on the interplay of normality and identity in adolescents from foster care, on the discontinuation of foster care, and conducted a qualitative longitudinal study (so far two waves, third wave in planning) with young adults from foster families. At the same time, Daniela Reimer works on the transfer of research into practice and develops new ways for further education for specialists in social work. The topic of siblings of foster children is a cross-cutting topic in all studies and is also relevant in continuing education.

Sibling relationships for children in care: Stresses and resources

Sibling relationships are diverse and multi-layered, they accompany human beings throughout their lives, can be a resource and a burden or both at the same time. Siblings are particularly important for children who cannot live with their parents for various reasons.

For many years, the speaker has been investigating the biographies of young people who have lived in foster families. In very detailed biographical-narrative interviews with around one hundred young adults, the topic of "siblings" regularly came up. There was no life story in which the topic was not relevant in any way, it often played a highly significant role. In the context of the research focus "Geschwister in der stationären Erziehungshilfe" (Siblings in the stationary educational aid) of the SOS-Kinderdorf e.V. (SOS Children's Village), it was also discussed with children from larger sibling associations and worked out how they perceive and experience separate or shared accommodation. The lecture refers to both sources and discusses the importance of siblings, their involvement in decision-making processes, contact design and biographical relevance on the basis of important life situations and transitions.