The aim of this study is to describe young people’s experiences returning home after beinginstitutionalized for over two years. The young people in this study describe their feelingsregarding their return home which involves reuniting with their families, their friends andstarting school. The study is conducted through five semi-structured using qualitativeindividual interviews with two boys and three girls. The theoretical points of departure areconcepts from the Symbolic interactionism and the Bioecology model of human development.The results of the study show that reunion with families is not easily accomplished by theadolescents and returning home is likely to be very stressful. It is also clear that the separationand return are part of a long process. Another finding is that this return process is perceived aslonely for the adolescents and makes great demands on both them and their families to havedeveloped during the time at the institution. The adolescents receive almost no support fromthe community in their struggle to adapt to their new life at home. Secondary school appearedfor the majority of the adolescents unmanageable when they simultaneously struggled to findtheir way into their families and in peer world.