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First year after care: How are they doing and what contributes to their life satisfaction? . Tamar Dinisman Prof. Anat Zeira The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. A longitudinal research. Why care leavers? .
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First year after care: How are they doing and what contributes to their life satisfaction? Tamar Dinisman Prof. AnatZeira The Hebrew University of Jerusalem A longitudinal research
Why care leavers? • The change in young people transition to independent lives (Arnett, 2000; Schoeni & Ross, 2005) • Different conditions for youth aging out of care: • Abrupt move • Lack of emotional and financial support from parents (Cashmore & Paxman, 1996; Courtney & Dworsky, 2006; Wade, 2008 ) • Gloomy picture of care leavers from varied countries (e.g. Stein & Munro, 2008) • Distinctive services and policy in numerous countries • Knowledge gaps
The Israeli situation • No legislation or general policy • Out-of-home placement in Israel: • Vast majority to residential care (80%) • Two main types of residential care: treatment-oriented and educational-oriented • The different transition to independent living • The present study is a further step in the growing body of knowledge (Benbenishty, Schiff, Zeira) • Part of longitudinal survey
The purpose of the study • To examine the condition of care leavers on their first year after care, in six life domains • To Identify factors, on the verge of leaving care, which contribute to their successful adjustment a year after • The current presentation: Life satisfaction
Institutional characteristic Social support characteristic Individual characteristic T1 Birth parents Origin Close relative Type ILPs in the setting Education functioning Staff Self esteem Work experience Peers Participate in ILPs T2 Adaptation to the army Normative behavior Social support Economic security Housing stability Well being Transition to Independent living
Methods • 26 residential settings in Israel • Main sample characteristics: • average age 19 (SD= 1.00) • 60.7% boys • 23% Israeli born, 42.8% Ethiopian,21.2% former Soviet Union • Procedures: • First step: self-administered survey in the settings & interviews with the directors about ILPs held in their settings • Second step: phone interview
Instruments • Independent variables: Valid and new instruments • Dependent variables: Adaptation to the army Normative behavior Social support Economic security Housing stability Well being
Instruments • Independent variables: Valid and new instruments • Independent variables: Adaptation to the army Social support Economic security Housing stability Normative behavior Well being • Adaptation to the unit and duty • Social adaptation
Instruments • Independent variables: Valid and new instruments • Independent variables: Social support Economic security Housing stability Normative behavior Well being Adaptation to the army • Economic hardships: • Debts • Insufficient money • Cutbacks • Subjective evaluation of general economic state
Instruments • Independent variables: Valid and new instruments • Independent variables: Social support Normative behavior Well being • Housing stability • Economic security Adaptation to the army • Current accommodation • Accommodation stability in the future
Instruments • Independent variables: Valid and new instruments • Independent variables: • Social support Normative behavior Well being • Economic security Housing stability Adaptation to the army • Relationship with birth parents • Peer support • Contact with residential staff
Instruments and Analysis • Independent variables: Valid and new instruments • Independent variables: • Normative behavior Well being • Economic security Housing stability Social support Adaptation to the army • Binge drinking • Involvement with the police
Instruments and Analysis • Independent variables: Valid and new instruments • Independent variables: Adaptation to the army • Economic security Social support Normative behavior • Well being Housing stability • Life satisfaction (7-SLSS) 1-4 • Mental health
Results:The first year • Fare adjustment in most life domains • Numerous difficulties in two domains • Economic security • Future housing stability • Small group with critical difficulties: • Lack of permanent activity • Absence of stable accommodation • Delinquency • Binge drinking • Insufficient contact with birth parents
Factors contribute to life satisfaction ***p < 0.001
Discussion and Implications • Is it necessary to establish services and policy for care leavers? • Who is prone to hardships? • What are the protective factor? • The importance of the relationship with birth parents during care and after
Thank you! • Dinisman, T., & Zeira, A. (2011). The contribution of individual, social support and institutional characteristics to perceived readiness to leave care in Israel: An ecological perspective. British Journal of Social Work. • tamar.dinisman@mail.huji.ac.il