Reflections on resilience: a psycho-social exploration of the life long impact of having been in care during childhood

Abstract

Previous studies of adults who grew up in care as children show that they are over-represented in the homeless population, the mental health system, the prison population and substance abuse. However there are other adults who grew up in care who achieve educationally and in terms of careers, relationships and parenting. A qualitative study that allowed participants to narrate their own experiences and to reflect over a life span was employed, to explore the impact of growing up in care and resilience. A multi-theoretical approach facilitated comprehension of the complexities of how people's lives change and how concepts of what hinders or helps are too simplistic. It also moved understanding beyond a simple distinction between positive and negative adaptation and revealed that there is often a fluid boundary between the two. A psycho-social approach enabled exploration of both the internal and external world of the research participants and illuminated the unconscious processes that are at work for researcher and participant in the interview process.

Keywords:

• resilience
• psycho-social
• care leavers
• life span approach
• trauma
• narrative