Adolescence and mental health in residential care: portrait of a decade in Portugal
Creators: name: Morais, Francisca
name: Santos, Beatriz
name: Mota, Catarina Pinheiro
name: Matos, Paula Mena
name: Costa, Mónica
name: Carvalho, Helena M.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2021

description: <strong>Abstract</strong> Adolescence is one of the most curious and interesting periods of human development with complex neurobiological and social relational changes (Moretti, Psalich, Donnell, 2019). Transition to residential care, as well as experiencing maltreatment, non-responsive, and neglectful relationships with primary caregivers can enhance adolescent’s vulnerability to the development of behavioral and emotional maladjustment (e.g., Costa, Mota &amp; Matos, 2019; Mota &amp; Matos, 2014). Portugal, as a paradigmatic example of historic reliance on the use of residential care, has nowadays one of the highest rates of children and young people in residential care, even when comparing with other European countries such as Greece, Spain or Germany (Delgado, Pinto, Carvalho &amp; Gilligan, 2018). According to the most recent national report, it is estimated that 6855 children and adolescents were under any type of residential care (ISSIP, 2020). The prevalence is higher for adolescents (54%), and 77% of behavior problems have been diagnosed between the ages of 12 and 17 years old (ISSIP, 2020). At the present time, there are important structural changes being conducted in child and youth welfare policies, namely in what concerns promotion and protection measures in residential and foster care. Legal frameworks adopted in 2019 highlight the need to develop tailored interventions adapted to the child and youth idiosyncrasies and elect their voice on decisions that affect their lives. Considering this, knowledge production on the characteristics and needs of the population under residential care measures, can contribute to the development of more comprehensive policies and interventions. Since 2007, the National Social Security sector has been producing, on an annual basis, a detailed report that characterizes, mainly through cross sectional analysis, out of home care in Portugal. These documents provide background and context, and act as an important mean to track the development and change that occurred over the years (Bowen, 2009). In this sense, in this paper we will present a comparative analysis of demographic indicators and psychosocial adjustment, and measures prior to placement, published in the reports of the last decade (2009 - 2019). This will include behavior and severity problems, mental health of young people and taking pedopsychiatric medication, as well as the existence of regular / irregular monitoring of mental health - pedopsychiatric and / or psychological. This study is part of a major project called CareMe (Efficacy of an attachment-based intervention in residential care: A randomized controlled trial on the effects on the caregivers’ relational skills and the adolescents’ psychosocial adaptation) developed with the aim of improving caregiving practices in residential care, and ultimately contribute to adolescents adaptive psychosocial development. Results will be discussed considering adolescents needs, challenges and implications for policies in order to inform interventions that are more closely connected to protection and ultimately to human rights.
description: Poster presented at XVI European Scientific Association on Residential &amp; Family Care for Children and Adolescents Conference (EUSARF). This work was funded by Portuguese National funds FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P (PTDC/PSI-ESP/28653/2017).