New research, published in Science, shows strong evidence that children fare much better in foster care than in an institution. The study -- conducted in Bucharest, Romania -- could be a wake-up call to nations that feel institutionalization is the best way to handle abandoned children. Children reared in institutions showed greatly diminished intellectual performance relative to children reared in their families of origin. Further, children who were randomly assigned to foster care experienced "significant gains in cognitive function."
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