ABSTRACT
We not only can know what constitutes quality care, research gives us a good idea what it is. Children and youth need resources and stability. A hierarchy of needs perspective calls for meeting basic needs and safety, but also a challenging, support environment that fosters intellectual development, curiosity, and autonomy. An ecological perspective on high-quality residential care offers a framework for looking at the various levels of high-quality residential care in detail. That framework includes secure attachments to stable, well-trained and well-selected caregivers who see children and youth at-promise rather than at-risk. Residents need strong educational supports, positive relationships with family members and peers, and individualized plans that coordinate the various components of their experience. High-quality residential care looks much like the family environments that encourage the development of resilience in children and youth.
