Psychosocial factors and adequacy of services for children in children's homes

Risk and protective factors of psychosocial development in children in diff erent residential care settings need to be further studied internationally, in order to develop working methods for social and health care services. S tandardized methods of the CBCL, TRF, and CGAS, were used to evaluate psych osocial functioning of children in children's homes in Finland. Further, da ta on sociodemographic situations and traumatic events in their lives were assembled. The percentage of behavioural and emotional problems within clin ical or borderline range in the different ratings was 55-80%. Combined trau matization: sexual abuser school difficulties. male sex, older age (> 11 ye ars) and older age at first and on-going placement (> 7 years), as well as difficulties in relationships with parents are likely to be associated with more severe behaviour problems and lower general functioning. The results of this study show that children and adolescents in social service resident ial settings are a highly vulnerable group and that these children have ext ensive mental health needs.