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The Subjective Well-Being of Portuguese Children in Foster Care, Residential Care and Children Living with their Families: Challenges and Implications for a Child Care System Still Focused on Institutionalization

Author

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  • Paulo Delgado

    (Escola Superior de Educação do Porto, Portugal)

  • João M. S. Carvalho

    (UNICES-University Institute of Maia, Portugal)

  • Carme Montserrat

    (Universitat de Girona)

  • Joan Llosada-Gistau

    (Universitat de Girona
    Generalitat de Catalunya)

Abstract

Most studies with children in out-of-home care highlight the problems and challenges associated with residential or foster care, and few have investigated the well-being of these children. The aim of this study is to compare the subjective well-being (SWB) of children hosted in institutions and in foster families with the well-being of children living with their families. We used a sample of 422 children, aged between 11 and 15, being 39 in foster care, 145 in residential care, and 238 living with their families in the general population. We measured SWB with the Personal Well-being Index-School Children (PWI-SC9) and we evaluated the impact of several variables in this index. Results indicate that children in residential care have a lower SWB in all variables compared to foster care and general populations groups. These outcomes should challenge children’s public policies to change from a dominant positive attitude toward institutionalisation to a more successful approach based on foster care families. This approach will provide the opportunity for children in out-of-home care to grow up in a family, and improve their SWB, which can probably ensure a better life trajectory.

Suggested Citation

  • Paulo Delgado & João M. S. Carvalho & Carme Montserrat & Joan Llosada-Gistau, 2020. "The Subjective Well-Being of Portuguese Children in Foster Care, Residential Care and Children Living with their Families: Challenges and Implications for a Child Care System Still Focused on Institut," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 13(1), pages 67-84, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:chinre:v:13:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1007_s12187-019-09652-4
    DOI: 10.1007/s12187-019-09652-4
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    1. María Sastre & Gaëlle Ferrière, 2000. "Family 'Decline' and the Subjective Well-being of Adolescents," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 49(1), pages 69-82, January.
    2. Ferran Casas & Jorge Sarriera & Jaime Alfaro & Mònica González & Sara Malo & Irma Bertran & Cristina Figuer & Daniel Cruz & Lívia Bedin & Angela Paradiso & Karin Weinreich & Boris Valdenegro, 2012. "Testing the Personal Wellbeing Index on 12–16 Year-Old Adolescents in 3 Different Countries with 2 New Items," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 105(3), pages 461-482, February.
    3. Dinisman, Tamar & Andresen, Sabine & Montserrat, Carme & Strózik, Dorota & Strózik, Tomasz, 2017. "Family structure and family relationship from the child well-being perspective: Findings from comparative analysis," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 105-115.
    4. del Valle, Jorge F. & López, Mónica & Montserrat, Carme & Bravo, Amaia, 2009. "Twenty years of foster care in Spain: Profiles, patterns and outcomes," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(8), pages 847-853, August.
    5. Robert Valois & Keith Zullig & E. Huebner & J. Drane, 2004. "Life Satisfaction and Suicide among High School Adolescents," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 66(1), pages 81-105, April.
    6. Joan Llosada-Gistau & Ferran Casas & Carme Montserrat, 2017. "What Matters in for the Subjective Well-Being of Children in Care?," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 10(3), pages 735-760, September.
    7. Orúzar, Harry & Miranda, Rafael & Oriol, Xavier & Montserrat, Carme, 2019. "Self-control and subjective-wellbeing of adolescents in residential care: The moderator role of experienced happiness and daily-life activities with caregivers," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 125-131.
    8. Dinisman, Tamar & Montserrat, Carme & Casas, Ferran, 2012. "The subjective well-being of Spanish adolescents: Variations according to different living arrangements," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 34(12), pages 2374-2380.
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    Cited by:

    1. Carme Montserrat & Paulo Delgado & Marta Garcia-Molsosa & João M. S. Carvalho & Joan Llosada-Gistau, 2021. "Young Teenagers’ Views Regarding Residential Care in Portugal and Spain: A Qualitative Study," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-16, February.

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