Qualitative exploration of supporting figures in the lives of emerging adults who left care compared with their noncare‐leaving peers

Abstract

Studies on youth leaving care have emphasized their limited social support and their need for continuing support after emancipation. However, less is known about the nature of their existing social networks after emancipation and their roles during their transition to adulthood compared with their noncare‐leaving peers. With this in mind, 32 young adults aged 18 to 25 participated in semi‐structured interviews regarding their current support figures in order to learn whether they were congruent with their needs after emancipation. Thematic analysis revealed four main features of the two groups' social networks: (a) stability versus uncertainty as to the lasting presence of the supportive figure, (b) reliance on parents as main supportive figures versus relying on different supportive figures, (c) confidence versus uncertainty in the supportive figures' ability to help, and (d) holistic versus fragmented support of the young adults' needs. The discussion addresses the unique characteristics of care leavers in emerging adulthood and the implications of their social networks' features for their adjustment after emancipation. One of the study's recommendations is to proactively connect them to new supportive figures such as professionals or mentors by offering them mentoring programs cognizant of the instrumental and developmental tasks of emerging adulthood.

Crossing Countries and Crossing Ages: The Difficult Transition to Adulthood of Unaccompanied Migrant Care Leavers

“…As for social support, the UYMs in our sample had more contact with their family and better relationships with them than their CG counterparts. These findings are consistent with what is known from the literature, as national care leavers usually have a complex relationship with their parents and receive limited or no support from them [47], while immigrant youth families continue to be an emotional reference for UYMs, despite the distance [18]. In this regard, for example, a young man from the CG said, "there were many problems and uncomfortable situations, for which I have taken distance from my mother", while an UYM said, "what gives me the strength to fight is my family, not with money or physically, but mentally".…”

The multifaceted nature of risk behaviour among adolescents—A document analysis of patient and aftercare service providers' records

“…Adolescents have also reported that they were left out of planning and decision‐making, which was reflected in their dissatisfaction with being heard. Need‐based comprehensive support (Häggman‐Laitila et al, 2018; Kaasinen et al, 2022), along with interventions targeting risk behaviour (Alderson et al, 2020) or general quality of life (Sulimani‐Aidan, 2019), are regarded as means for improving both care leavers' involvement in aftercare and life prospects.…”

“…Success in education is also indicative of resilience and resourcefulness (e.g. Sulimani‐Aidan, 2019). The discussed results suggest that researchers should also focus on identifying the strongest protective factors for adolescents displaying risk behaviours.…”

A Scoping Review of the Factors That Influence Families’ Ability or Capacity to Provide Young People With Emotional Support Over the Transition to Adulthood

“…Two studies found that conception via assisted reproduction (IVF or donor insemination) had no negative impact on levels of parentchild warmth from the perspective of both parents and children (Golombok et al, 2009;Owen and Golombok, 2009). Research with young people in care has found that ties with carers (e.g., foster carers and professional figures), rather than parents, are associated with their perceptions of support (Won, 2009;Sulimani-Aidan, 2019).…”