Transitions From Care to Adulthood Messages from international research for policy and practice

Mike SteinResearch Professor

Presentation Outline: From care to adulthood

• Young people’s transitions from care to adulthood in a normative context

• Messages from international research – maximising progress made by care leaverso Being in careo Transitions from careo Providing supporto Accommodationo Educationo Health and well-being

• Outcome groups – across the life course

• Summary points

An experts view of care

“Care it’s given me great opportunities.

Before I didn’t have a clue what I wanted to

do, now I know what direction I’m going in.

At home my parents didn’t care what I did.”

(Young person reflecting on care)

Transitions from care to adulthood in a normative context

• For most young people their main pathways to adulthood:o Moving into accommodation of their choiceo Entering further or higher education, finding employmento Achieving good health and a positive sense of well-being

• Pathways connected and reinforcing and take place over time

• For many care leavers their journey is shorter, more severe and they may be disadvantaged on these pathways

• High risk of social exclusion - material disadvantage and marginalisationo Low educational attainment, unemployment and unfulfilled careerso High risk of homelessness, movement and being unsettledo Poor physical and mental health, mortality, suicide risk, teenage

pregnancy

Transitions from care to adulthood in a normative context

• Mapping research from 16 countries shows some groups of care leavers have a high risk of social exclusiono Asylum seeking young peopleo Black and minority ethnic young peopleo Young people who leave care earlyo Some disabled young peopleo Teenage parents

• International research also shows differences between care leavers in the progress they make:o some do very well and successfully ‘move on’o some ‘survive’o some ‘struggle’ greatly

• Important to recognise individual needs • How do we maximise the progress made by care leavers?

Messages from research: quality of care

“I could talk about my problems, I was loved.”

The quality of care is the foundation stone – rather than the type placement

• Family or specialist foster care; small children’s homes; social pedagogy; family kinship care

• Attachment, stability and continuity

• Support in education – overcoming deficits

• Health and well-being – assessment and intervention

• Positive identity – ‘a sense of belonging and connectedness’

• Holistic preparation – practical, self-care, emotional and interpersonal skills

• New opportunities and turning points

‘New opportunities and turning points’

Messages from research: transitions from care

“I’m only 16 and still a bairn (a baby) and get a bit weepy at times.”

• The main pattern of transition from care to adulthood within 16 countries was ‘accelerated and compressed’

• Coping with a series of major changes in their lives at younger age than those leaving the family home

• Denied the ‘normative’ psychological opportunity of dealing with issues over time

• Leaving care can be ‘instant adulthood’• Gradual and extended transitions

Messages from research: personal support

“I’ve learnt to live out of care – with a back up team

• Being supported from care to adulthood – shift from support at the time of ‘leaving care’

• Role of assessment of needs after care• Informal support:

o positive family and kinship relationships, o community and social networks, ‘social capital’

• Formal or agency support: o personal adviserso specialist leaving care teamso transition to adult services

• Mentoring schemes, peer or traditional mentoring• Young people requiring additional support

‘Being supported’

Messages from research: accommodation

‘‘Make sure you are on your feet first, don’t leave early just because you can’’

• Staying put when settled• Having a choice when to leave• Young people being involved in the process• Preparation as a process from care to adulthood• Choice of accommodation and support matched to needs• Recognition of ongoing support by former carers• Positive and negative family support• Family group conferences and leaving care• Homelessness – early identification, prevention, joint working,

specialist accommodation

‘Being involved in the process’

Messages from research: education

‘‘Stick in at school, go to college, it will pay off in the end’’

• Attainment gap at school between care and general population• Complex reasons: pre-care family, social background, quality of care and education

Improving progress and outcomes• Stable, high quality placements • Early support for catch-up learning and individual tutoring; • Action-oriented Personal Education Plans• Priority given to education by carers and social workers • Support from family, carers and professionals; • Financial resources and practical help; • Sympathetic schools, positive community and cultural influences; leisure activities• Clear protocols agreed with colleges; • Staying in placement after 18; • Leaving care teams promoting education

Messages from research: employment

• Building on educational success,• Encouragement by carers, • Stability, fewer moves after leaving care,• Being settled in accommodation• Targeted career support• The ‘From Care to Work’ national project (led By NCAS)

o Works with Local authorities and emlpoyeeso Work experience placements, apprenticeshipso Skills trainingo Employment after work experienceo Academic mentoring

Messages from research: health and well-being

• Many children and young people enter care with physical and mental health problemso Comprehensive assessmentso High quality placementso Treatment interventions – all you need is love?

• Physical and mental health problems increase at the time of leaving careo Psychological and physical demands of accelerated and compressed

transitionso May combine with earlier pre-care and in-care problems

• Assisted by gradual transition, ongoing support and access to mental health services

• Evidence of difficult transitions between adolescent and adult services

‘Health and well-being’

Outcome groups - across the life course

• Moving On group ‘I think I am special because I tried and finished college’

attachment, stability, continuity; gradual transitions; satisfying career– from specialist to universal services, from formal services to informal support, ‘ordinary’ identity

• Survivors group ‘I’ve become more independent, more tough, I know more about the world’

placement instability; accelerated transitions; more selective services, formal support, ‘moving on’ later

• Strugglers group ‘I couldn’t handle it being on my own, being lonely, no family, no friends’

severe maltreatment, complex problems, instability and attachment problems, leave care early on ‘break down’, trapped within specialist services, someone for them

From Care to Adulthood: summary points

• Comprehensive approach, across the life course of young people• Pre-care: early interventions and family support –

when problems first arise

• In care: providing high quality care to compensate young people

• Leaving care: gradual and supported transitions from care

• After-care: ongoing support into adulthood

• Strong legal and policy framework

‘After-care, ongoing support into adulthood’

The last word!

“Care has done a lot for me. It’s helped me out. Helped me realise what life is all about and how to look after myself.”

Young person reflecting on care