Continuing educational participation among children in care in five countries: some issues of social class

Abstract

Young people who have spent all or part of their childhoods in public care are at particular risk of social exclusion as adults and yet the pathway out of exclusion identified by policy-makers at both European and national levels, namely, education, is very difficult to access. Using data from a five-country study of the post-compulsory educational pathways of young people in public care, this paper examines the rates of participation of young people in further and higher education and considers what might account for the gap, looking at two factors: the impact of background social class on educational support and the educational intentions and practices of the care system. The paper concludes by considering the policy context and some possible tensions between policy aims and young people's contexts and experiences. IntroductionYoung people who have spent all or part of their childhoods in public care are at particular risk of social exclusion as adults. Educational participation is positioned by policy-makers across Europe as a key route to social inclusion through the acquisition of knowledge and skills that enable employment. The scope for young people from a public care background to make use of this route is the theme of this paper, which draws on data from a five-country EU-funded study between 2008 and 2010, called YiPPEE, an acronym for 'Young People from a public care background: pathways to education in Europe'. The partner countries were Denmark, Hungary, Spain, Sweden and the UK, 1 and were chosen to represent differing welfare regimes and so to illuminate factors that are comparable or different in relation to the target group of young people from public care backgrounds. The study investigated the experiences of young men and women who were in public care as children and the facilitators and barriers to educational participation. 'Public care' was the term used to capture state responsibility for young people where their birth parents were not able to do so. The study was concerned with young people's participation in all formal post-compulsory education programmes available in their countries but with a particular emphasis on tertiary education. It involved interviews with 36 managers in social services responsible for young people in public care,

The relation between out-of-home care, early school failure, and premature mortality: a 30-year follow-up of people treated for substance misuse in Sweden

“…Even though education is not the only yardstick for a successful transition into adulthood, there is reason to believe that this is especially important for young people from OHC since many will have weak support as they enter adulthood. Evidence shows that there is a gap between the needs of young people ageing out from care and the support they receive from the society, and that these patterns cut across countries and time (Cameron et al 2012;Höjer and Sjöblom 2010). Yet, intervention studies are scarce and far more research is needed on how to improve future opportunities for children and youth from OHC.…”

Young People Transitioning from Out-of-home Care and Access to Higher Education: A Critical Review of the Literature

“…Yet there is universally a strong correlation between care experiences and poor educational attainment. Care leavers tend to spend fewer years at school, are less likely to achieve qualifications, and face major barriers to participating in further and higher education (Blome, 1997;Cameron, Jackson, Hauari, & Hollingworth, 2012;Cashmore, Paxman, & Townsend, 2007;Jackson, 2007;Jones, 2010;Jurczyszyn, 2014;Mendis, 2013;Merdinger, Hines, Lemon Osterling, & Wyatt, 2005;Mitchell, 2013;O'Sullivan & Westerman, 2007;Pecora et al, 2006;Rogers, 2014;Stein, 2004).…”

“…The active involvement of children in planning and decision making around education is also vital. Key practical supports may include early intervention to tackle literacy and numeracy deficits, and ongoing specialised coaching and tutoring based on individually tailored learning programmes (Biehal et al, 1995;Cameron et al, 2012;Casey Family Programs, 2009;Crawford & Tilbury, 2007;Jurczyszyn & Tilbury, 2012;Merdinger et al, 2005;O'Sullivan & Westerman, 2007;Stein, 2004;Tilbury et al, 2009;Townsend, 2011;Wise, 2012).…”

“…Moreover, a European study of 170 care leavers found that almost all came from low socio-economic class backgrounds and many had parents who relied on income security payments, whereas those parents who had worked mostly held unskilled jobs. Few care leavers seem to have had parents who supported and prioritised their educational participation and development (Cameron, Jackson, Hauari, & Hollingworth, 2012).…”

Supporting the educational transitions of looked after children at Key Stage 4: the role of virtual schools and designated teachers

“…Many children enter care late in their childhoods, with 31 per cent entering between the ages of ten and 15 in the year ending March 2011 and 12 per cent at 16 or older (DfE/National Statistics, 2011c). The attainment gap between looked after children and their peers is not unique to the UK: the YIPPEE project found a similar pattern in all five of the participating European countries (Hö jer et al, 2008;Cameron et al, 2012). The UK is, however, the only one of those five to have paid significant attention to the participation of care leavers in higher education through specific policy and legislation providing care leavers with access to professional advice and financial support , Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000, Children Act 2004, Children and Young Persons Act 2008.…”