ABSTRACT
In France, when there is unsatisfactory parenting, children and adolescents are separated from their biological families by social services and placed in the care of in foster families whose duty is to raise and educate them. Some placed children are from ethnic minorities and different cultures. Research indicates that children of North African origin are more likely to be placed in institutional care rather than in foster families, although there is no evidence to explain why this occurs. Based on a representative French sample, the current investigation presents a profile of placed children in terms of demographic factors, family background, educational progress and psychosocial development. Although the biological parents came from either North Africa (26%) or France, all of the children were born in France and have lived there since early childhood. These children were placed in either residential care, or with French cultural families. We compare the children of North African origin with the French children in terms of psychosocial and intellectual development.
