Minority Children in Residential Care: What Do Palestinian-Arab Children Think About Their Well-Being?

Abstract This study explores the subjective well-being (SWB) of Palestinian-Arab children aged 9–13 in residential care in Israel. It focuses on how these children perceive their well-being in terms of their satisfaction with residential care and life in general. Eighty-two children completed self-report questionnaires. It was found that the participants’ satisfaction with their residential care facility was lower than their overall life satisfaction. Specifically, they were most satisfied with their relationships with the social worker and care workers (non-professional counsellors) in residential care, as well as with their peers, and least with rules and regulations, independence and autonomy, and free time. Several factors were positively correlated with children’s satisfaction with the residential facility, including positive aspects of relationships with staff and the degree to which they were listened to. Children who visited their parents more frequently were also more satisfied with the facility. These findings are discussed in the cultural context of Palestinian-Arab children, who often feels stronger allegiance to their birth families compared to the Israeli and Western norm, given that family values are highly prioritized in Arab culture.