Aging out from care Young peoples perception of transition from care to adulthood

1. Aging out from careYoung peoples perception of transition from care to adulthood Yvonne Sjöblom, Department of Social Work. University of Stockholm Ingrid Höjer, Department of Social Work, University of Gothenburg Yvonne Sjöblom, University of Stockholm, Ingrid Höjer, University of Gothenburg

2. The prolonged transition to adulthood • In western societies - tendency for a protracted transition to adulthood for young people • Prolonged time in education • Hard to find housing • Hard to find employment • This means increased dependency of parents - economically, practically, emotionally • Makes the transition to adulthood more difficult for young care leavers - who often have to make it without support from parents Yvonne Sjöblom, University of Stockholm, Ingrid Höjer, University of Gothenburg

3. Leaving care- the situation in Sweden • Stipulated time for care leaving is 18 – after 18 you have to make a personal “application” for further support • Most young people stay in care until they have finished upper secondary school – usually at 19 • If mandatory measures – possible to stay in care until 21 • No general programs or dedicated services Yvonne Sjöblom, University of Stockholm, Ingrid Höjer, University of Gothenburg

4. “Life After Care”Financed by Swedish Council for Working Life and Social Research • Telephone interviews with 111 managers of social service units in 75 local authorities • Telephone interviews with 65 young people who left care within 3 months to 3 years • Hard to find young people – no record of their whereabouts after leaving care Yvonne Sjöblom, University of Stockholm, Ingrid Höjer, University of Gothenburg

5. Organising leaving care • 290 municipalities in Sweden – several with few inhabitants – difficult to organise any specific leaving care programs • 73 percent of the managers stated there were only 0-5 young persons about to leave care in their local authority • 75 percent had no explicit routines to follow at young people’s exit from care • 18 – 20 percent commissioned private enterprises for support to care leavers • Economic support, housing, emotional support, educational support Yvonne Sjöblom, University of Stockholm, Ingrid Höjer, University of Gothenburg

6. Little focus on transition to adulthood • Only 11 per cent had any specially designated social workers for young people leaving care • Only 5 per cent had any specialised policy documents on care leaving • 24 per cent had discussed leaving care issues in their social welfare committee (elected politicians) • Only 6 percent had any information of the whereabouts of young people after they had left care Yvonne Sjöblom, University of Stockholm, Ingrid Höjer, University of Gothenburg

7. Young people’s former placements: Yvonne Sjöblom, University of Stockholm, Ingrid Höjer, University of Gothenburg

8. Life at timeofinterview • Housing: • 40 lived by themselves • 2 lived with friends • 17 lived with partners • 2 with birth family • 3 supported housing • Social network of great importance – but vulnerable • 10 explicitly stated they felt lonely, without anyone to turn to Yvonne Sjöblom, University of Stockholm, Ingrid Höjer, University of Gothenburg

9. Whomcanyou ask for help? Yvonne Sjöblom, University of Stockholm, Ingrid Höjer, University of Gothenburg

10. Unclear rules concerning responsibility for care leavers • Disagreement between different stakeholders: • Between different units within each local authority • Between different agencies – psychiatric units, school, etc. • Between different municipalities • Between social services and foster carers/res.units • Between social services and birth parents • Too little focus on young people’s needs – more focus on administrative procedures • Young people are expected to shoulder a personal responsibility for their care leaving process Yvonne Sjöblom, University of Stockholm, Ingrid Höjer, University of Gothenburg

11. Concluding comments • No elaborated, systematised models for young people’s transition from care to adulthood • The transitional process will be dependent on voluntary contributions from foster carers/residential staff • Little, or no, support from birth families • Young people, as well as foster carers/residential staff demand more elaborated models for practical support • Some kind of “familial” connection and “social skills” important for emotional support and sense of belonging Yvonne Sjöblom, University of Stockholm, Ingrid Höjer, University of Gothenburg

12. Publications: • Höjer, I & Sjöblom, Y (2009) Ungdomar i utsatta livssituationer och deras väg till självständighet. Bilaga till betänkandet Lag om stöd och skydd för barn och unga (LBU). Stockholm: Statens offentliga utredningar 2009:68 • Höjer, I & Sjöblom, Y (2010) Young People Leaving Care in Sweden. Child and Family Social Work, 15, p 118-127. • Höjer, I & Sjöblom, Y (2011) Att stå på egna ben. Om övergången från samhällsvård till vuxenliv. Socialvetenskaplig tidskrift, 1, s 24 – 41. • Höjer, I & Sjöblom, Y (2011) Procedures when young people leave care - views of 111 Swedish social services managers. Child and Youth Services Review, 33,pp 2452-2460 Yvonne Sjöblom, University of Stockholm, Ingrid Höjer, University of Gothenburg