More services? A Better Life? : the needs of care-leavers on leaving residential care

Abstract

The theme of this research is the situation that care leavers encounter once they leave out-of-home care. More specifically, it refers to the most required services for these young people as they try to overcome obstacles related to their natural families, their friends, housing, employment, financial stability and personal coping skills. For the purposes of this research study, a qualitative research design was adopted. This consisted of seven interviews, using interview guides, with three females and four males. The interviews were based on several themes, mainly relating to school and education, difficulties encountered after they leave care, budgeting skills/ money concerns, life skills, leaving care, cooking, employment, key people who helped care leavers, housing and the services they need once they leave care. These themes were later on developed and enriched by the participants' quotations as they recalled what they had been through. In addition, interviews were conducted with the Head and Co-Ordinator of Headstart, and phone calls were made to several Heads of residential homes in order to obtain more information about the day-to-day living experiences of children in their care. From the data collected, a common factor that emerged was that life in care had an extensive impact on the care leavers, whereby they consider it to be a major contributing aspect to the persons they are today. In addition, they maintained for instance that most of the residential homes did not prepare them for what they had to face once they were out of care. It is necessary to point out that among the hurdles that participants had to face were basic, yet very important chores, such as cooking. This dissertation takes us on a journey as the participants of this study face common stumbling blocks, but manage differently according to their personal characters and the complexities of the context that they encountered. Following an analysis of the data collected, conclusions are made while a number of recommendations are put forward This is in fact an area which merits more attention and as one looks closely at participants' experiences and hardships, it is blatantly clear that this is an area which calls for more attention. It is only then that care leavers can manage to cross over the bridge between residential care and independent living with fewer memories of anguish and resentment, about the times when they needed help most.