Young People s Transitions from Care to Adulthood International Comparisons and Perspectives

1. Young People�s Transitions from Care to AdulthoodInternational Comparisons and Perspectives Mike Stein and Emily Munro

2. Presentation outline Roots and development of the International Research Group Challenges and issues arising from the work (big picture & legal and policy framework) Messages from research for policy and practice

3. Roots and development of the International Research Group Set up in Brussels in 2003 Poor outcomes for looked after children Social exclusion of care leavers Preparatory work on definitions, data, law, policy, agency support Share research findings Explore social, political, legal structures

4. Roots and development 2005-2007 Belfast, Budapest and Dublin A description of young people�s transitions from care to adulthood in 16 countries An analysis of welfare regimes; law and policy; secondary data; research findings Summary of messages for policy and practice Sources of further reading for each country

5. Challenges and issues: The big picture Transitions shaped by set of complex processes No simple transferable international solutions Differences in care population, use of placements, who stops and who leaves care

6. Challenges and issues: The big picture Differences in purposes of care: rehabilitation or re-education through pedagogy Differences in legal and policy frameworks, individual, family and state, welfare regimes, global influences

7. Challenges and issues: The big picture Diverse and complex influences become embodied in the role of the �corporate parent� Universal or specialist services Law as �duty� or �permissive� Accessing services as �right� or conditional Levels of funding, inspection, quality, training and workforce planning

8. Legislation to support care leavers� transitions

9. Variations in legal and policy frameworks Balance between the responsibilities of individuals, the family and the state Financial and emotional support Preparation through skills, training and education Weight given to service users� views

10. United States Residual and decentralized welfare state Normative for young people to rely on family 1986 Independent Living Initiative � emphasis on developing skills for independent living (could not be used for room & board) Foster Care Independence Act 1999 � increased funding and more flexibility in use Variations between States Low uptake of services

11. Norway Social democratic � emphasis on equality and universalism but this under pressure (market economy rationale increasing) 1953 legislation provided aftercare up to the age of 23 years (stopped 1992) 1980s criticism that child welfare system intervened too much Emphasis upon young adults� right to autonomy and independence Unmet needs and lobbying for re-introduction of legal entitlement to support 1998 - Child Welfare Act 1992 amended New duty to assess young people�s needs before they leave care

12. United Kingdom Factors influencing legal & policy frameworks: social, political and economic 1970s Decline in manufacturing industry to reduce demand for unskilled workers & shortages in the availability of low cost housing Increasing reliance on family � increasing gap for those who cannot rely on their emotional or financial support Development of specialist leaving care schemes in the 1980/1990s Legislation - move from permissive legislation (1989) to targeted legislation (2000)

13. Jordan Factors influencing legal & policy frameworks: social, political and economic Population grew 10-fold between 1951-2004 69 per cent of the population are under the age of 29 Human capital but employment opportunities will be a great strain on scare resources Care leavers not a political or legislative priority Legal extensions postponing discharge of youth from care can be granted Jordanian National Action Plan of Action for Children � initiatives for youth in residential care � improving holistic services and capacity building

14. Factors influencing legal and policy frameworks Knowledge base and awareness of need Limited research or data on outcomes for care leavers in some countries (including, Spain, Switzerland) Pressure groups UK, Scandinavia and Australia Coalition of child welfare providers, e.g. Victorian Centre for Excellence in Child & Family Welfare and the New South Wales Association of Children�s Welfare Agencies (Australia)

15. Factors influencing legal and policy frameworks Rights based frameworks UN CRC - day of general discussion on �children without parental care� it was recognised that State parties and other stakeholders should facilitate transitions from care to independence Cost/benefit analysis Significant economic cost of not supporting young people after they leave care (e.g. health, mental health, police, criminal justice and housing)

16. Messages from research for policy and practice Social exclusion Evidence base variable Quantitative and qualitative studies Specific groups of care leavers Costs of social exclusion

17. Messages from research for policy and practice Positive outcomes � a resilience framework Young people�s experiences of care Young people�s transitions from care Young people�s lives after care

18. Young people�s experiences of care Providing stability Identity Education Preparation

19. Young people�s transitions from care Accelerated and compressed Extended and abrupt Coping with transition Transition planning

20. Young people�s lives after care Exploring outcomes Transitions or adulthood? Dimensions of young people�s lives Different starting points Normative assumptions

21. Young people�s lives after care Outcome groups Moving on Survivors Strugglers

22. Concluding messages Life course perspective � care, leaving care, after care Secondary data � little use despite potential for range of key outcome data and normative comparisons Research � more evaluative studies; more longer-term cohort studies; more ethnographic studies

23. Concluding messages Comparative work � potential for studies in the micro, mezzo and macro domain Buy the book!