"Love is Real. It Takes Many Shapes and Forms": The Concept of Love Among Children in Out-of-Home Placements.

Child abuse studies have contributed significantly to the understanding of the multidimensional dynamic between parents and their children in the context of abuse. Recently, the concept of love in this unique context has received growing attention. The current study was designed to examine the perception of love by adults who experienced parental abuse in their childhood and lived in out-of-home placements. The study comprised interviews with 15 adults who were abused by their parents in childhood and removed to out-of-home placements in Israel. Data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews, and transcribed. Qualitative thematic analysis was carried out on all 15 interviews. Three main themes were identified. The first theme delves into the complex interplay of love and maltreatment from the parent. The subsequent theme illustrates the participants' perceptions of themselves as an "object" subjected to abuse during their early childhood by their mothers and once again when separated from their biological homes by child protection services. The third and final theme sheds light on the participants' encounters with love in out-of-home placements. The current study's findings illustrate how love can exist even where abuse occurs. The study highlights the crucial role of caregivers in out-of-home placements in acknowledging the multidimensional nature of child-parent dynamics. Moreover, the current study demonstrates how a healthy, loving relationship with caregivers in out-of-home placements affects participants' perceptions of love.