The purpose of this thesis was to examine the perceptions of caregivers in a Polish orphanage about how well orphanages support child development. Through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with eleven caregivers, I explored their opinions about what does and does not work well to support a child''s developmental needs in the areas of physical growth and health, cognitive growth, emotional development and in particular the ability to form secure attachments, and the development of life and social skills. This case study also involved observations of children in an orphanage setting and a document analysis. The aim of this study was to generate ideas about how to strengthen substitute care services for children in Poland rather than evaluation of an organization.

Marta Zych has a Masters of Social Work degree from Wilfrid Laurier University. She has lived and worked in Poland. Her social work interests include: child development, child welfare, and domestic violence.