Using market segmentation to gain insight into reasons for not fostering caring

Australia is facing a significant shortage of foster carers, yet little is known about the

main reasons which prevent people from becoming foster carers. This study contributes to

filling this gap in knowledge. A survey of 897 respondents who have never been foster

carers indicates that – at the aggregate level – the main reasons that people do not become

carers are that: (i) they do not know anything about foster care; (ii) they are busy with

their own children or with work or family/friends commitments; and (iii) they have not

been asked by anyone to be a foster carer. However, if we use market segmentation to

group individuals according to whether they would consider fostering in the future or not,

then the results indicate that those who would not consider fostering are too busy with

family/friend commitments, have no interest in children, and feel that taking a child was

too big a commitment to make. These are all reasons that cannot easily be influenced or

changed. In contrast, people who would consider fostering in the future are more likely to

indicate that no one had ever asked them to foster. These findings highlight the fact that

the market of potential foster carers is not one homogenous group, and that simply

considering the barriers to involvement at the aggregate market level can mask the

different views of particular segments within the market.