Looked after children's adjustment to negative experiences of family life and the move to a foster family have traditionally been approached in terms of resilience in response to adversity and adaptive strategies related to insecure attachment. In the context of a general study about children's experiences of family life, Ellen Heptinstall, Kalwant Bhopal and Julia Brannen add to this psychological approach to children's adaptation by introducing the sociological notion that children actively make sense of their experiences. Case studies highlight the different ways in which children perceive their foster care situation. Comparisons with children living with at least one birth parent show that in some respects looked after children's perspectives of family life reflect their adverse early experiences, while in other ways their interpretation of their situation is based on common perceptions they share with other children.
