This systematic review aims to explore the effective strategies and practices that can foster social adaptation and resilience in children residing in care institutions. The review analyses three main aspects of the care institutions: Enrichment activities, programmes and practices and care-giving relationship. The findings suggest that enrichment activities can enhance the children’s social and emotional competence, socialisation and identity formation, life skills and purpose, teamwork and communication, and cultural relevance and expression. The programmes and practices can facilitate the children’s rites of passage and mental strength, socio-emotional behaviour and resilience, life skills and adjustment, participatory socialisation and inclusion, and educational space and family values. The care-giving relationship can influence the caregivers’ mental health and wellbeing, and their training and education. The evaluation comes to the conclusion that care facilities can be quite helpful in helping institutionalised children develop social skills and resilience. It also offers suggestions for further study and clinical applications.
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