Effects in Adulthood of Separations and Long-Term Foster Care a French Research Study

Abstract

Annick-Camille Dumaret and Marthe Coppel-Batsch discuss findings from a French research study into outcomes for adults formerly placed in long-term foster care. The aim of the research was to measure the effects of adverse childhood experiences when followed by a minimum of five years' continuous care in a stable environment. A number of viewpoints were obtained during the course of the study, including those of foster carers and the agency through which all the placements in question were made. However, the findings in this article largely concentrate on the feelings, aspirations and living situations of a sample of 63 young adults, interviewed at least five years after leaving care. Despite clearly varied outcomes, the authors conclude that a stable care environment, backed up by substantial educational and psychotherapeutic support, can go a long way towards helping children separated from their birth families achieve satisfactory social integration in adulthood.