A Comparative Study on Rumah Kanak-Kanak (Children Residential Home) and Rumah Tunas Harapan (Foster Home) in Malaysia: A Child-Centric Perspective

Abstract

This study used a qualitative approach to explore experiences and views of the Malaysian children who stay at state-run children?s homes and foster homes. Twenty-five foster children and 27 children in children?s homes, aged 10 to 15, were purposively selected for interview and compared on their experiences and views. Based on the children?s narratives, 14 themes were generated in the five domains of behaviour, education, health, placement and future aspiration. Some important themes are offensive, desperate, protective and cooperative behaviours; academic stereotype and discrimination; untold help seeking strategies; acceptance of current placement. These themes are not fully articulated by an initial framework of Symbolic Interactionism and Bronfenbrenner?s Ecological System Theory, but are explainable from a new perspective of conflict. Overall, more foster children were found to have better experiences and views as compared to their counterparts in children?s homes.