scholarly journals CARE LEAVERS’ PERSPECTIVES ON THE FAMILY IN THE TRANSITION FROM OUT-OF-HOME CARE TO INDEPENDENT LIVING

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (4.2) ◽  
pp. 140-159
Author(s):  
Stephan Sting ◽  
Maria Groinig
Keyword(s):  
Home Care ◽  
Identity Formation ◽  
Independent Living ◽  
Safety Net ◽  
Out Of Home Care ◽  
Qualitative Interview Study ◽  
The Family ◽  
The Status ◽  
Care Leavers ◽  
Status Passage

Findings from youth research have shown that, due to the development of the transitional phase of “emerging adulthood”, the family has become increasingly significant for young adults as a source of support and as a safety net. In contrast, care leavers are confronted with a relatively abrupt transition to independent living. However, international studies have shown that the family also plays a significant role during the status passage of leaving care — as an arena of concrete social relationships, as a normative model and ideal, as a biographical experience and memory, as a connection to family traditions and practices, and as an important contextual factor for resilience and identity formation. The first section of this paper describes the various links between care leavers and their families based on a literature review. In the second section, the biographical relevance of the family is highlighted based on the example of a qualitative interview study about the educational pathways of 20- to 27-year-old care leavers. The study shows the various influences of family links on the educational careers of young people during and after out-of-home care. From the findings, we derive some consequences for professional work with families in out-of-home care and for professional support and guidance during the status passage of leaving care.

Constructing the Meaning of “Family” in the Context of Out-of-Home Care: An Exploratory Study on Residential Care Leavers in Harare, Zimbabwe

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 54-63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Getrude Dadirai Gwenzi
Keyword(s):  
Home Care ◽  
The West ◽  
Out Of Home Care ◽  
Semistructured Interviews ◽  
The Family ◽  
Care Leavers ◽  
Family Based ◽  
Family Contact ◽  
Family Membership ◽  
Practical Implications

Care leavers’ family lives are not well-documented in Global South literature. The West has seen an increase in studies focusing on the family concept. This article focuses on the concept of “family” and family membership from the perspective of care leavers. Data from semistructured interviews and “family lists” with 30 care leavers (aged 18–25) from Zimbabwe are presented. The findings suggest that although there is evidence of heteronormative definitions of “family” and ideas of “family” as biological, new definitions are coming up in the developing world. Some participants acknowledge nonbiological definitions of family based on connectivity, co-residence, affective practices, family contact, and other forms of family display in the context of out-of-home care. The Zimbabwean cultural influence is highlighted as a factor in care leavers’ constructions of “family” especially during the emerging adulthood stage. Practical implications for social policy, those working with care leavers, and wider society are discussed.

What Does International Research Identify as the Best Practice Housing Pathways for Young People Transitioning from Out of Home Care?

2021 ◽  
pp. 234930032110643
Author(s):  
Jacinta Chavulak ◽  
Philip Mendes
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Home Care ◽  
Affordable Housing ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Transition Planning ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Out Of Home Care ◽  
Extended Care ◽  
Care Leavers ◽  
Housing Pathways

Young people transitioning from out-of-home care (often called care leavers) are globally a disadvantaged group who can be particularly vulnerable to experiences of housing instability and homelessness. This article presents a scoping review of international scholarly literature pertaining to housing pathways for care leavers from 2015–2020. The 15 publications identified were analysed according to location, methodology, sample accessed, key findings regarding housing pathways and outcomes, and recommendations for policy and practice reform. Our findings suggest that good transition planning, continuing support from responsible adults, the availability of safe and affordable housing and extended care till at least 21 years should enable more positive housing transitions.

The Experiences of Indigenous Young People Transitioning from Out-of-Home Care in Victoria, Australia

2019 ◽  
pp. 149-172 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip Mendes ◽  
Bernadette Saunders ◽  
Susan Baidawi
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Home Care ◽  
Support Services ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Exploratory Research ◽  
Positive Role ◽  
Out Of Home Care ◽  
Indigenous Children ◽  
Care Leavers ◽  
The Impact

This chapter reports on exploratory research in Victoria, Australia, involving focus groups and interviews with service providers and Indigenous care leavers to examine the impact of existing support services. Indigenous children and young people are highly overrepresented in the Australian out-of-home care system. To date, neither specific research focusing on this group’s experiences as they transition from care nor an assessment of the Indigenous-specific and non-Indigenous supports and services available to them have been undertaken. Findings suggest that Aboriginal Community Controlled Organizations (ACCOs) play a positive role in working with non-Indigenous agencies to assist Indigenous care leavers. Participants identified a few key strategies to improve outcomes, such as facilitating stronger relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous services and improving ACCO resourcing.

Resilience, Transitions, and Youth Leaving Care

2019 ◽  
pp. 51-68 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robbie Gilligan
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Young People ◽  
Home Care ◽  
Social Ecology ◽  
Adult Life ◽  
Out Of Home Care ◽  
Care Leavers ◽  
Youth Transitions

This chapter discusses resilience in the lives of care leavers. Youth transitions can be especially challenging for young adults who face major adversity in their lives as they negotiate early encounters with adult life. One such group is young people leaving out-of-home care at the official age, in many jurisdictions, of 18 years. Young people leaving care often do not have the luxury of extending the timing of their transitions, as may be the case for their peers not in care; circumstances force them to make early transitions and, typically, without the level of support their more fortunate peers may be able to call on. Yet many young adults leaving care do quite well; they manage to display resilience. They find resources in their social ecology which help them to manage the process of their transitions. This chapter explores the background to such displays of resilience and how former caregivers and other concerned adults may help to stimulate and sustain such resilience. It also argues that support from concerned adults in arenas such as education and work may be especially helpful in promoting resilience to adversity among youth transitioning to adulthood from care.

Children and Young People in Out-of-Home Care: Treating and preventing individual, programmatic and systems abuse.

1992 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 17-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jo Cavanagh
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Home Care ◽  
Child Protection ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Vulnerable Children ◽  
Developmental Needs ◽  
Children And Young People ◽  
Child Protection Services ◽  
Out Of Home Care ◽  
The Family

It is well recognised that the maltreatment of children results from a range of factors; some residing within the person, their family history and background, and others, clearly attributable to social stress and difficulties originating external to the family. In the last few decades, child welfare efforts have centred on the improvement of Child Protection Services and raising the prevention of child abuse as a community concern. More recently, attention has been focussed on strengthening the capacity of families to nurture and protect their own as the best means of meeting the developmental needs of children. However, our best efforts to assist families may still necessitate removal to protect the child.Research has identified that children removed for their own protection may be at even greater risk in out-of-home care. (Ryan 1987, Dawson 1984) Whether the incidence of abuse of children in out-of-home care is currently equivalent or higher than for the general population, is at this point a secondary concern. Out-of-home care is an essential and complex service. It is imperative to acknowledge that abuse can occur within the very system entrusted with the responsibility of protecting and caring for vulnerable children and young people.

Policy and practice supports for young people transitioning from out-of-home care: An analysis of six recent inquiries in Australia

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 599-619 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip Mendes ◽  
Samone McCurdy
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Home Care ◽  
Lived Experience ◽  
Child Protection ◽  
Policy Issue ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Out Of Home Care ◽  
Care Leavers ◽  
The Impact

Summary Government and parliamentary inquiries into child protection have historically exerted a significant impact on policy and practice reform. Yet to date, there has been no analysis of the impact of such inquiries on programme and service supports for young people transitioning from out-of-home care (often termed leaving care). This article uses a content analysis methodology to critically examine and compare the findings of six recent Australian child protection inquiries (five at state and territory level and one Commonwealth) in relation to their discrete sections on leaving care. Attention is drawn to how the policy issue is framed including key terminology, the major concerns identified, the local and international research evidence cited and the principal sources of information including whether or not priority is given to the lived experience of care leavers. Findings All six inquiries identified major limitations in leaving care legislation, policy and practice including poor outcomes in key areas such as housing, education and employment. There was a consensus that post-18 assistance should be expanded, and most of the reports agreed that greater attention should be paid to the specific cultural needs of the large number of Indigenous care leavers. Applications Care leavers universally are a vulnerable group; leaving care policy should be informed by the lived experience and expertise of care leavers; governments have a responsibility to provide ongoing supports beyond 18 years of age, particularly in areas such as housing and education, training and employment

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