“Varför kunde de inte ta hand om mig?”- Johanna Bergström, Utan mig har hon ingen s. 133 : En kvalitativ studie om familjehemsplacerade barns psykiska mående i familjehem och av relationen till sina biologiska föräldrar

Sammanfattning: Many children live in foster homes because their biological parents cannot take care of the child's needs. Previous studies have shown that children placed in foster homes have major risks of mental illness. This study examines how children in adulthood talk about their mental health while growing up in foster care and have a relationship with their biologicalparents. The data was collected through five autobiographies with theirown experiences of living in family homes and having a relationship with their biological parents at this time. The mental health of foster carechildren is affected by their foster care parents approach and attitude towards the children's needs. The better adaptation to the child's needs thebetter mental health the child could get. The majority of children from the autobiographies also stated that the relationship with their biological parents was positive for their wellbeing. Consequences in the relationshipto the biological parents were to make it easier to keep contact with otherfamily members and increase the child's understanding of their placementin foster homes. Placements in foster homes can help the child’s development, although the majority of children were stigmatized and bullied at school.