Future Prospects and Challenges for Residential Care for Children and Youth

Abstract

This final chapter synthesizes the main findings from the 16-country cross-national review of residential care for children and youth. Major topics include differing rates of use for residential care, characteristics of children and youth served, contextual elements and policy developments, quality factors in residential care, and education and training strategies. The authors conclude with some general recommendations for future improvement of residential child and youth care, including policy initiatives, research, and promising pathways for innovation. The authors urge a more nuanced and better specified conceptualization of residential care. They make the case for continued and expanded cross-national analysis of residential care provision in future.