Children Placed In Out-of-Home Care as Midlife Adults: Are They Still Disadvantaged or Have They Caught Up With Their Peers?
International research has consistently reported that children placed in out-of-home care (OHC) have poor outcomes in young adulthood. Yet, little is known about their outcomes in midlife. Using prospective data from a cohort of more than 14,000 Swedes born in 1953, of which nearly 9% have been placed in OHC, this study examines whether there is developmental continuity or discontinuity of disadvantage reaching into middle age in OHC children, compared to same-aged peers. Outcome profiles, here conceptualized as combinations of adverse outcomes related to education, economic hardship, unemployment, and mental health problems, were assessed in 1992-2008 (ages 39-55). Results indicate that having had experience of OHC was associated with 2-fold elevated odds of ending up in the most disadvantaged outcome profile, controlling for observed confounding factors. These findings suggest that experience of OHC is a strong marker for disadvantaged outcomes also in midlife.
['Brännström|Lars|L|', 'Vinnerljung|Bo|B|', 'Forsman|Hilma|H|', 'Almquist|Ylva B|YB|']
D000328:Adult D054523:Adult Survivors of Child Abuse D002648:Child D002669:Child Welfare D006801:Humans D007398:Interpersonal Relations D008875:Middle Aged D010379:Peer Group D012917:Social Adjustment D013548:Sweden D035862:Vulnerable Populations
child welfare cohort study foster care longitudinal research