Empirical evidence with young people in residential care has primarily focused on mental health problems, overlooking resilience and adaptation. Considering that trauma and adversity (e. g., abuse and neglect) cannot be changed, it is critical to identify the protective factors of young people’s adaptation and resilience in residential care. Following the Resilience Portfolio Model (i.e., Grych et al., 2015) we will present findings from one systematic review (study 1) and from a meta-analytic review (study 2) aiming to identify the protective factors that may be positively associated with adolescents’ healthy adaptation in residential care. According to PRISMA guidelines, two electronic searches were conducted in eight databases (e. g., Academic Search Complete, APA PsychArticles) in November 2020 (study 1) and January 2022 (study 2). Both the searches were carried out using a combination of keywords related with protective factors (e. g., staff, family, school) and indicators of adaptation (e. g., well-being and competence) of adolescents in residential care. Specifically, the study one yielded 4442 articles and 11 studies met the inclusion criteria. Overall, the studies reported protective factors at different levels, namely, individual assets, resources from different contexts (family, residential care, community), and coping behavior. In turn, study 2 yielded 4097 articles of which 29 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included. The factors that produced the largest effect sizes for the psychological health outcomes were self-regulatory strengths and the support provided by staff in residential care, by family, and by peers. These studies highlighted the importance of exploring resilience as a dynamic process of assets and resources rather than as a stable individual attribute. A deep discussion about resilience in residential care is needed, informing policymaking and the best practices and enhancing young people’s adaptation in the child protection system.

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