GA Research Study – POLYMATHEIA Journal of Cultural and Educational History

The Foundation believes that effective support is rooted in professional expertise. With this approach in mind, we conducted a nationwide survey in 2020-2021 to identify the educational and daily needs of children and young people living in residential care homes within the child protection system.

Supported and funded by the Gattyán Foundation, the Research Study was published in two parts in the POLYMATHEIA Journal of Cultural and Educational History, the official journal of the Kodolányi János University. This publication encompasses a broad range of cultural history, from antiquity to the modern era, and includes both theoretical and empirical studies on Hungarian and world history topics.

The first part of the journal explores the lives and behavioral patterns of those growing up in children’s homes within the child protection system, while the second part presents the GA’s research and its findings.

The publication is freely available on the following links:

• The lives and behavioral patterns of those growing up in children’s homes
• Research Study, 2020 (complete study)

The goal of the study was to highlight the unique needs of children growing up within the child protection system. Due to the lack of attachment and family role models, children raised without a family often face greater challenges in building social relationships, and their educational outcomes tend to be significantly lower than the national average. They are also at a higher risk of dropping out of school, with a considerably higher rate of grade repetition compared to the national norm. In terms of academic achievements, they often leave the system with low qualifications, which further limits their opportunities in the job market and hinders their ability to build an independent life. Despite these challenges, they maintain a positive outlook on their future, holding on to ambitious dreams of pursuing further education and achieving the highest levels of learning. They aspire to a better life and have faith in a brighter future, and it is our responsibility to support and nurture this optimism.