The British Journal of Developmental Disabilities

Vol. 47, Part 1, january 2001, No. 92, pp. 3-13

FOSTER CARE FOR CHILDREN WITH MENTAL RETARDATION AND CHALLENGING BEHAVIOUR:
A FOLLOW-UP STUDY

N. M. A. Laan, G. M. P. Loots, C. G. C. Janssen and J. Stolk

Summary

A follow up study was carried out concerning foster care for children with mental retardation and with challenging behaviour. It was clear that the 78 children of the research group had extreme challenging behaviour in addition to a general very unfavourable history in their family of origin. An intensive form of special counselling, that was appreciated by the foster parents, was given. Seventy four percent of the children spent more than two years in a foster family. The mean number of years spent in foster care of all children was 5.2 at the end of the study. The foster parents were satisfied especially with the emotional support given. Foster placement was least successful for children with severe personality and psychiatric problems and for children (girls) who had experienced sexual abuse in their family of origin.

Drs. N. M. A. Laan
Researcher in Orthopedagogy, Free University, Faculty of Psychology and Pedagogy, Amsterdam

*G. M. P. Loots, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Orthopedagogy, Free University, Faculty of Psychology and Pedagogy, Van der Boechorststraat 1, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Tel: 0031 20 4448904 Fax: 0031 20 444 8745 E-mail: GMP.Loots@psy.vu.nl

C. G. C. Janssen, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Orthopedagogy, Free University, Faculty of Psychology and Pedagogy, Amsterdam.

J. Stolk, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Orthopedagogy, Free University, Faculty of Psychology and Pedagogy, Amsterdam.

* For Correspondence