Between 1947 and 1989, in communist Romania, abortion was banned and women were encouraged to have five or more children. By 1990, after the regime fell, parents had handed more than 170,000 children to orphanages. They lived in groups of 12 to 16 supervised by rotating carers.
American developmental scientists launched the Bucharest Early Intervention Project (BEIP) in 2000. It aimed to study the effect of early institutionalisation on children’s development, and whether placing them in high-quality foster care would make a difference.
What they did: The study looked at 136 orphans aged under three. Half were put into foster care, while the remainder stayed in orphanages. Researchers also compared results to 72 never-institutionalised children. The study has tracked the children at frequent intervals.
What they found: Researchers consistently found those placed in foster care displayed better developmental outcomes. They scored higher on IQ tests; they grew physically larger; they showed better attachment, language ability and stronger relationships. The team also discovered that the younger the children were when placed in foster care, the more they benefited. This finding is consistent with the concept of critical periods for brain development, for example, in the first 1,000 days of a child’s life.
What does this mean for me?
Orphanages no longer exist in England, but the number of children looked after by local authorities is rising. In 2023, 83,840 children were in care, of which 18 per cent were aged less than four. Around 17 per cent lived in children’s homes. However, this is rare for children below seven, where fostering or adoption is favoured.
The results show how enormously impactful children’s experiences are on their development. Genes do contribute, but the BEIP emphasises the importance of sensitive, consistent caregiving that is personalised and has the child’s interests at heart.
A separate report from the Family and Childcare Trust and the University of Oxford on early education and looked-after children (Starting out right, 2017) says, ‘The gap between looked-after children and children not in care begins before school and there is a strong case for early intervention in relation to attachment, socio-emotional skills, self-regulation, language development and health and physical needs.’
If children are presenting difficult behaviour, slower language or physical development, or difficulties forging relationships, question if they are getting the right kind of support. Looked-after children need extra attention. If you suspect they are experiencing disruption, the quicker you can help them, the better.
- Further information: www.bucharestearlyinterventionproject.org