Children prefer residential to foster care

Children in care prefer residential to foster care a new survey
by Save the Children Scotland has found.

The study of 34 currently or previously looked after children
aged between 15 and 25 discovered that children regard foster care
as too rule ridden, often with older adults who give their own
children preferential treatment. On the other hand, residential
care is seen as more relaxed, and has the advantages of the company
of other young people and being more stable with less moves than
foster care.

A spokesperson for save the Children Scotland said: “Frequent
moves between foster homes were seen as the norm despite the
popular myth that foster placements are long term arrangements.”
Children reported a lack of consultation on foster placements, and
moves often being decided in their absence at short notice.

While emphasising the study involved a small sample, Save the
Children Scotland concludes that the “surprise” findings merit
further investigation by the Scottish executive.