Building Life Around Foster Home Versus Moving On: The Competing Needs of People Living in Foster Homes

Objective: This article reports findings on the competing needs of people living in psychiatric foster homes in Montreal, Canada. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 33 residents. Consumers describe the tensions associated with foster home life. Results: Two overall competing needs emerged: the need to build their lives around the foster home and the need to build life beyond the foster home. Residents describe their need for security and support versus their need for greater personal autonomy, the dilemmas associated with communal living, and their struggle to envisage a positive future. Conclusions: These findings have important implications for mental health professionals mandated to dismantle foster homes for more autonomous housing.