Adult psychosocial functioning of children raised in an orphanage

Recently there has been a resurgence of interest among policy-makers regarding the feasibility of using orphanage care for some of society’s dependent children. The assumption among many social service providers is that this kind of care poses long and short-term risks to children placed in them. The present study explores the experiences of 94 residents at the Florida United Methodist Children’s Home (FUMCH), a traditional orphanage. Residents were surveyed using two standardized instruments and a demographic questionnaire developed for this study. Their responses suggest that for many of the residents, the experience was a positive one. Generally, they report average or above average social and economic success. These results call for a more positive reappraisal of the value of orphanage care for dependent youth who cannot remain with their biological families and who are not appropriate for more traditional family-based foster care.