EPA-0855 – Educational Trajectory of Adults with Experience of Institutional and Family Care in Childhood

Abstract

As many studies show, the life of a child in institutional care has a significant influence on his development in different areas of further life. One of the aims of our research is to find typical educational trajectory, including process of schooling and education as a value. We verify the hypothesis whether the course of educational trajectory and access to education as such differ between two groups - people who went through a foster or institutional care during childhood (n=127) in comparison with those who grew up in original families (n=104).

All subjects answer nn anamnestic questionnaire which was focused among others on attitudes toward education or the course of educational trajectory. Twenty selected respondents with the experience in substitute form of family care subsequently provided the individual interview which cover the schoul experience and support for schooling given by significant others.

The data obtained from the anamnestic questionnaires and interviews were processed by both statistical and qualitative procedures. The results show that various forms of substitute family care have impact on the educational trajectory and access to education in the lives of individuals. Regarding to the experience of the substitute family care, satisfaction with the achieved level of education differs.