Children placed in long-term family foster care: A longitudinal study into the development of problem behavior and associated factors

Background: Foster children often experience school problems and perform less well than average. This may result in failed school careers and compromised future career paths. Nonetheless, few studies have focused on the perspective of foster children regarding education. Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 27 foster children (M = 14 years, range = 12–18 years) placed in long-term family foster care about their experiences regarding “school.” Results: A thematic analysis distinguished four main themes: (1) the importance of school for foster children; (2) the impact of the foster care placement on the school performance (3) support foster children receive with regard to their functioning and performance at school; and (4) the fear of stigmatization. Discussion: Foster children attach a great importance to school and receive support from different persons. Yet, many foster children are confronted with school difficulties, such as bullying, hindered concentration, and negative reactions to being placed in foster care. Interventions should be developed to support this group and improve their performances. Furthermore, actors who get in touch with foster children should be better acquainted with foster care.

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A European Survey of the Number and Characteristics of Children Less than Three Years Old in Residential Care at Risk of Harm

Adoption & Fostering ◽

10.1177/030857590502900405 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 29 (4) ◽

pp. 23-33 ◽

Cited By ~ 32

Author(s):

Kevin Browne

Keyword(s):

At Risk ◽

Foster Care ◽

Young Children ◽

Residential Care ◽

Normal Brain ◽

Medical Problems ◽

Attachment Disorder ◽

Family Foster Care ◽

Emergency Measure

Research evidence increasingly suggests that young children in residential care without parents are at risk of harm in terms of attachment disorder, developmental delay and normal brain development. This damage caused by early privation of parenting has been shown to have long-term consequences. Kevin Browne and colleagues* report on a survey of 33 European countries that was conducted to identify the number and characteristics of children aged less than three years placed in residential care without their parents for more than three months during the year ending 31 December 2003. Ministries of Health in Europe were asked for official data. For the 31 countries who responded it was estimated that 23,099 children (11.2 per 10,000) aged less than three years were living in institutions. There was great variation between countries for the proportion of young children in institutions and family foster care. Although residential care was shown to cost on average three times as much as foster care, 33 per cent of countries had more young children in institutions than fostered. Those countries with lower GDP and health expenditure had larger proportions of young children in institutions associated mainly with abandonment, disability and medical problems. Only four per cent of children were biological orphans with deceased parents. It is recommended that no child less than three years should be placed in residential care without a parent. Even when high-quality institutions are used as an emergency measure, research has suggested that a child should be moved into family foster care as soon as possible.

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