Mental health and disability of children managed by Child Welfare Services in the Bouches-du-Rhone department

Objective: To describe the mental health and disability of foster children in the Bouches-du-Rhone (BDR) department. Methods: ESSPER-ASE 13 studied the physical and mental health of children managed by Child Welfare Services (CWS) of the BDR department. This descriptive cross-sectional survey was carried out from April 2013 to April 2014 and included 1,092 children placed in foster homes or in the custody of child care assistants. This survey explored the physical and mental health of the children and the characteristics of their medical follow-up. This article focuses on the mental health and disability of foster children. Results: Psychiatric disorders were identified in 22% of foster children, predominantly consisting of anxiety disorders (44%), behavioural disorders (44%), and attention deficit hyperactivity disorders (16%). 20% of children received MDPH (French Departmental Home for Disabled Persons) notification. The two main types of disability were psychological development disorders (61%) and emotional disorders (20%). conclusion: The over-representation of severe psychiatric disorders and disabilities among foster children calls for enhanced diagnosis and optimization of care.