‘I’ve Always Managed on My Own’—Exploring Resilience Through the Voices of Children in Foster Care

Abstract

There is a notable lack of resilience-focused research grounded in the perspectives of children currently in foster care. Therefore, the present study explored resilience processes through children’s own accounts, guided by two research questions: (1) How do children in foster care describe themselves, their relationships and their different important contexts? (2) How do children cope with the specific challenges they encounter? Twelve children (12–18 years old) were interviewed individually using the semi-structured Friends and Family Interview. Reflexive thematic analysis yielded three overarching themes: (1) Transition to foster care, (2) Navigating life, and (3) Trust and comfort in connections. These themes and their subthemes illustrate the complexity of resilience processes in children’s everyday lives. Support and the sense of belonging in the foster family, often expressed in ‘ordinary’ daily activities, seem to play an important role. Meanwhile, a recurring tension between autonomy and loneliness appears central. Not least, the burdening impact of placement disruptions is evident in the children’s accounts. Our findings underscore the importance of understanding children’s perspectives and inner worlds for informing well-tuned supportive practices. We discuss several practical implications such as access to psychological treatment and supporting children in maintaining connections with friends and adults outside the family. Promoting placement stability remains a key challenge for the foster care system.