Effects of Institutional Care

Institutionalising children has been shown to cause a wide range of problems for their development, well-being and longer-term outcomes. Institutional care does not adequately provide the level of positive individual attention from consistent caregivers which is essential for the successful emotional, physical, mental, and social development of children. This is profoundly relevant for children under 3 years of age for whom institutional care has been shown to be especially damaging.

Common issues for children in institutional care are a significantly increased risk of sexual and physical abuse, a lack of stimulation, and harsh discipline. Children in institutions are less likely to attend school, and are frequently isolated from their traditional communities. Long periods in an institution make it harder for a child to assimilate back into a family and community, and deny them access to the life-long attachments and community support systems that family relationships and communities can provide. For funders and implementing bodies, care in the community is a significantly more effective and sustainable use of resources since it avoids the high maintenance costs of institutions, and prevents many of the problems posed by institutional care.

It is widely accepted that institutions should be used as a last resort only. Countries which have traditionally relied on institutional care are now transforming their institutions into small family style group homes and actively pursuing preferences for community-based care options based around small family style units. This policy shift is urgently required in HIV/AIDS affected countries which are taking a backward step in resorting to the use of institutions to care for children orphaned or affected by the disease.

The body of literature contained in this section provides in-depth explanations of the damaging effects of institutionalisation on children and provides recommendations for alterative community care options.

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Resilience and resilience factors in children in residential care: A systematic review

Yunfei Lou, Emily P. Taylor, , Simona Di Folco - Children and Youth Services Review, 08 Apr 2018

This review explored the conceptualization, operationalization and measurement of resilience in children and adolescents living in residential care settings.

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La Transición a la Vida Adulta de Adolescentes y Jóvenes sin Cuidadas Parentales en Latinoamérica. Una Experiencia de Unión Regional

Mariana Incarnato y Andrés Segade - DONCEL, 01 Apr 2018

El presente artículo busca describir brevemente las trayectorias de los adolescentes y jóvenes en su transición del sistema de cuidados alternativos a la vida adulta en América Latina.

Institutionalized Chinese children with congenital medical conditions: Placement delay, developmental issues at arrival and current wellbeing

Tony Xing Tan & Emily A. X. Robinson - Children and Youth Services Review, 23 Mar 2018

This study investigated the relationship between congenital conditions and post-adoption mental disorder diagnosis and treatment in 235 female youth who were adopted from China about 15 years prior.

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Children’s perspectives of their psychosocial wellbeing in Tanzanian orphanages

Agnes Cyril Msoka and Eleanor Holroyd - International Journal of Nursing and Midwifery, 15 Mar 2018

The aim of this study was to explore factors affecting the wellbeing of institutionalized orphaned children in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

The effect of structured education on self-esteem and the suicide probability of male adolescents living in orphanages

Şenay Öztürk, Mine Ekinci - Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, 13 Mar 2018

This study aims to observe the effect of structured education provided to improve self-esteem and hope on the self-esteem and the suicide probability of male adolescents living in orphanages.

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A descriptive study on behavioral and emotional problems in orphans and other vulnerable children staying in institutional homes

Ravneet Kaur, Archana Vinnakota, Sanjibani Panigrahi, RV Manasa - Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine, 01 Mar 2018

This cross-sectional descriptive study explores the behavioral and emotional problems in institutionalized children in India.

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A comparative study of self esteem and level of depression in adolescents living in orphanage home and those living with parents

Priyanka, Dr. Ashok Parasar, Dr. Roshan Lal Dewangan - International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Research, 01 Mar 2018

The aim of the current study was to find out level of self-esteem and of depression in adolescents living in orphanage home and to see the differences in self-esteem and depression level in orphan children and children living with parents.

Life after institutional care: Implications for research and practice

Kabo Diraditsile, Mbongeni Nyadza - Child & Family Social Work, 09 Feb 2018

This study sought to investigate the lived experiences of care leavers from institutional care facility in Botswana.

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Stress and coping mechanisms among adolescents living in orphanages: An experience from Klang Valley, Malaysia

Marjan Mohammadzadeh PhD, Hamidin Awang MD, Suriani Ismail PhD, Hayati Kadir Shahar PhD - Asia-Pacific Psychiatry, 07 Feb 2018

This study aimed to assess both the prevalence of stress and the coping mechanisms as well as identify the predictors of stress levels among adolescents in Malaysian orphanages.

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Foster care promotes adaptive functioning in early adolescence among children who experienced severe, early deprivation

Kathryn L. Humphreys, Devi Miron, Katie A. McLaughlin, Margaret A. Sheridan, Charles A. Nelson, Nathan A. Fox, Charles H. Zeanah - The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 01 Feb 2018

The Bucharest Early Intervention Project sought to examine the effects of foster care as an alternative to institutional care for abandoned infants in Romanian institutions.

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