The Chiles Center completed the second phase of a two-part study of foster care in Florida, with funding from the Department of Children and Families. The first phase of the study was directed by Dr. Brenda Jarmon of the Florida State University and was designed to understand the reasons people become foster parents, what keeps them in foster care and what may assist the Department in recruiting new foster parents. Focus groups and interviews were held with foster parents, foster children and agency staff in all regions of the state in an effort to document the different perspectives on recruitment and retention in foster care. The findings were quite striking and led to many unanticipated conclusions concerning changes needed to improve the recruitment and retention of foster parents in Florida. This study was completed in August, 2000 and is available on-line (see below) or in paper form from the Chiles Center. The second phase of the study, led by Dr. Leslie Clarke of the University of Florida was designed to measure the extent of medical, behavioral and emotional problems experienced by foster children and the perceived skill levels of foster parents to deal with these problems. The purpose of this study was to provide estimates of the prevalence of various problems confronting foster children and foster parents in order to target recruitment and training of foster parents, and to develop a framework for board payments that aligns foster parent payments to skill levels and time committments required. This study was completed in March 2001.