Quality of Life of Children Without Adequate Parental Care Placed in a Social Protection Institution

Abstract

Placement in a social protection institution for children without (adequate) parental care is one form of social protection for children who need care. In the Republic of Srpska, by the Law on Social Protection, social institutions are established by the Republic of Srpska. For children without (adequate) parents who need placement in the Republic of Srpska, there is one social institution in which children and youth are provided with housing, food, clothing, assistance in education and training for work, care, health care, and other needs fulfillment. This paper presents the results of the research on the subjective assessment of aspects of the quality of life in a social institution for children without (adequate) parental care. The concept of quality of life is theoretically elaborated through subjective theories of quality of life. Quality of life was observed and measured as a multidimensional construct that refers to the physical, psychological, social, and behavioral components of children and youth placed in a social welfare institution. The method of content analysis was used to collect and analyze data, as well as in the empirical part of the research when processing and interpreting the research findings. Data were collected by the survey method with the use of a questionnaire instrument (KIDSCREEN-27). For data processing and analysis, different statistical methods were used. The results showed that children and youth placed in a social institution for children without (adequate) parental care in the Republic of Srpska rate all five examined aspects of life positively. Most of the aspects were rated as satisfactory. The overall mean value rating for all aspects is 3.52, which is an encouraging finding, due to the permanent need for residential placement for children without (adequate) parental care.