Well-being in adulthood of persons who (temporarily) grew up in out-of-home care – an empirical study

Background Out-of-home care is one of the most expensive forms of care and influences the lives of young people during care intensively. But what do we know about what happens afterwards? The presentation focuses on the time... [ view full abstract ]

Background
Out-of-home care is one of the most expensive forms of care and influences the lives of young people during care intensively. But what do we know about what happens afterwards? The presentation focuses on the time after out-of-home care and explores the question, whether well-being, life skills and coping with developmental tasks in adulthood differ between young people who have been in out-of-home care and those who grew up at home with their parent(s). The answer to the question is associated with methodological challenges which will be addressed.

Data and Methods
The analysis is based on data of a representative sample of 11,808 adults between 25 and 60 years of age in Germany. 223 of them have been in out-of-home care (average 7 years). Data is analysed by comparing different outcome-variables in adulthood (e.g. social network, number of kids, income, attained educational level, partnership) of those who (temporarily) grew up in out-of-home care and those who grew up with their parent(s). Group effects are controlled for age and sex of the respondents as well as the social status of their parents.

Results
Adults who (temporarily) grew up in out-of-home care show to have significantly higher risks of negative outcomes for almost all outcomes considered.

Implications
What do the results mean? They cannot be seen as evidence against the effectiveness of out-of-home care. Methodological considerations strengthen this view. Limitations of the data are taken into account. Decisions for placements into out-of-home care cannot be revisited because of negative outcomes in adulthood. These decisions secure young people a save place after harmful experiences in their family of birth. Authorities have to response to harmful living conditions of children even if the responses seem to be not powerful enough to (over)compensate these harmful living conditions.

Keywords: out-of-home care; long term effects; well-being