Hurt, loss, joy, and forgiveness: Foster care–experienced young adults' relationships with their birth parents

Objective

This article explores young adults' relationships with their birth parents following separation from their parents during childhood due to placement in foster care.

Background

Parent–child relationships often change through childhood, adolescence, and into adulthood, from dependency toward more independence and then mutuality, with much variation. Less is known about these relationships for young adults who spent some of their childhood in foster care.

Method

Follow-up interviews were held with young adults who had been previously enrolled in a longitudinal study during middle childhood, shortly after they had been placed in foster care. Qualitative analysis was conducted of 191 responses to an open-ended question about their current relationship with their biological parents.

Results

Relationships varied from very close and positive to nonexistent or distressing. Many young adults who had been adopted or had aged out of care reported close relationships and, conversely, some of those who had been reunified with their biological parents were later estranged.

Conclusion

For most participants, the relationship with their birth parent(s) remained significant despite some care decisions, such as adoption, that often lead to termination of contact with parents during childhood.

Implications

Young adults who have experienced foster care in childhood are likely to need support navigating relationships with biological parents through young adulthood, and this should be planned for and resourced.