Mental development is influenced by the possibility to experience long term and stable relationship with a caregiver. Children in institutional care usually may not have this possibility. There is growing evidence that long term stay in institutional care may substantially influence occurrence of psychopathology symptoms in children.

We have conducted 2 years longitudinal study of children in foster care (n = 70), in institutional care - D (n = 50) and in functional biological families (n = 50). We have assessed presence and intensity of psychopathology signs at the beginning and the end of the 2 years period.

The results of the presented study showed that psychopathology significantly persist or develops in children in institutional care, while in children in foster care and biological families tends to reduce. (p, 0.01).

The results of the study propose that children institutional may be substantially endangered by the higher occurrence of psychopathological symptoms, comparing to foster care and biological families. Foster care thus seems to be more suitable for children's development than the institutional care.

The study was supported by J&T Foundation.