A comparative study of mental health and wellbeing in adopted children, children in foster and kinship care, and the general population
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Children with care experience are at elevated risk of poor mental health and wellbeing, yet large-scale comparative studies of placement type, particularly including adoption following a period in care, remain limited. This study examined mental health and wellbeing outcomes across different care arrangements using population-level data from children attending secondary school (age 11 to 16) in Wales, UK. METHODS: Data were drawn from the School Health Research Network 2023 Student Health and Wellbeing Survey, completed by 129,761 children across 202 mainstream schools in Wales, UK. Analyses included 103,316 children in the general population and 2384 care-experienced children, comprising those in kinship care (n = 1,460), non-relative foster care (n = 589), and adoptive families (n = 335). Groups were compared on youth self-reported measures including the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (SMFQ), and the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (SWEMWBS). RESULTS: Children in the general population had better mental health and wellbeing outcomes than care-experienced peers. Adopted children reported the poorest mental health outcomes across all domains, exhibiting significantly higher total SDQ difficulties, internalising and externalising difficulties, depressive symptoms, and the lowest wellbeing scores. Children in foster care had better mental health and wellbeing relative to the other care experienced groups, followed by children in kinship care. CONCLUSIONS: Findings highlight substantial disparities in mental health and wellbeing among care-experienced youth, with adopted children showing the most elevated difficulties. These results underscore the need for policies to include targeted mental health support for care-experienced children across all settings, including post-adoption contexts.
Source: BMC Pediatrics
Language: English
Topic: Child Welfare and Adoption
Subfield: Safety Research
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,090
Funders: Wellcome Trust, United Kingdom Clinical Research Collaboration, Health and Care Research Wales, Waterloo Foundation, UK Research and Innovation, Public Health Wales, Llywodraeth Cymru, Cancer Research UK, British Heart Foundation, Cardiff University, Medical Research Council, Economic and Social Research Council, Centre for the Development and Evaluation of Complex Interventions for Public Health Improvement
Awards: G1433068952, G1984190479, G2038519406, G2395963644, G3494591977, G3571503278, The shaping of mental health and the mechanisms leading to (un)successful transitions for care-experienced young people, G3987157617, Humour in Childhood: Pathways to Better Wellbeing, G4342719566, G4929696806, G5089399674, G6011272932, G6105492108, G6985385257, G881129110
OpenAlex ID: W7203829525