Independent Evaluation of Twenty-Five Placements

Adolescents who for one reason or another cannot live in their own homes and are deemed “difficult” or “delinquent” have always presented something of a problem to those concerned with their care. In general, the assumption has been that they are not suitable for foster-care in the community and need the structure of a residential home. The Kent Special Family Placement Project was set up to test this assumption. Was it possible for foster parents without special training to accept difficult, withdrawn, sometimes violent youngsters into their own families, and to provide them with the support, security, acceptance, care and encouragement which many of them need? Was such
fostercare a viable alternative to residential care?