Report 2. APR 2013
The everyday life and challenges of 15-year-olds in care
Authors:
- Mette Lausten
- Dines Andersen
- Peter Rohde Skov
- Alva Albæk Nielsen
The Social Sector
Children, Adolescents and Families
Daycare, school and education
The Social Sector, Children, Adolescents and Families, Daycare, school and education
SFI's longitudinal study of children in care deals with one the most vulnerable parts of the Danish child population; all children born in 1995 who are or have been placed away from their home.
SFI monitors the children every four years, and the children have now reached the age of 15. In this report emphasis is on the children's own responses and these indicate that things are not easy for young people placed in care: they fare poorer at school, more than half receive special needs teaching, and the boys, in particular, lag behind their contemporaries.
Children in care and children that have returned home after care are also mentally vulnerable. To a greater extent than their peers, they show signs of depression, eating disorders and self-harming behaviour. They also have extensive experience with illegal drugs and crime.
However, the report also has good news. Although young people in care are more stressed than their peers, they are doing better now than when they were younger, so things are moving in the right direction. Although young people in care fare worse at school and have lower expectations of themselves, most of them still have hopes of being able to complete an education that will give them access to a job in adult life.
SFI monitors the children every four years, and the children have now reached the age of 15. In this report emphasis is on the children's own responses and these indicate that things are not easy for young people placed in care: they fare poorer at school, more than half receive special needs teaching, and the boys, in particular, lag behind their contemporaries.
Children in care and children that have returned home after care are also mentally vulnerable. To a greater extent than their peers, they show signs of depression, eating disorders and self-harming behaviour. They also have extensive experience with illegal drugs and crime.
However, the report also has good news. Although young people in care are more stressed than their peers, they are doing better now than when they were younger, so things are moving in the right direction. Although young people in care fare worse at school and have lower expectations of themselves, most of them still have hopes of being able to complete an education that will give them access to a job in adult life.
Authors
About this publication
Publisher
SFI - Det Nationale Forskningscenter for Velfærd
