Transitional Foster Youth’s Perceptions of Preparation to Act as Self-Advocates

Abstract

Foster youth face a number of challenges as they transition from adolescence to young adulthood. Emancipation for foster youth occurs between the ages of 18 and 22, during which those successful in this transition are required to make well thought out decisions and act in their own best interest. However, few foster youth have learned the skills necessary to act as self-advocates. This in-depth phenomenological study explored the perceptions of three emancipated foster youth who were judged to be more effective self-advocates than their peers, concerning how prepared they felt to act as self-advocates. Research findings highlight the fact that many emancipated foster youth are rarely taught self-advocacy skills explicitly but rather learn the skills themselves through trial and error or happenstance and suggest ways that therapists can make the process. Research findings also suggest that acting as a self-advocate may enhance the educational choices and familial relationships of transitional foster youth.

Client perception of a client-centered and occupation-based intervention for at-risk youth

“…These interventions led to increasing the youth's use of selfadvocacy skills and promoted their ability to describe a vision of future. Self-advocacy is an intervention outcome emphasized in OT practice (21) and an important skill youth often use to successfully navigate their life course (22,23). Though age appropriate and mandatory, formal education was found to be the most challenging occupation for these youth.…”

At foregribe det ukendte

“…Dette skaber et paradoks: På den ene side vil de unge gerne vaere autonome, og på den anden side følge de råd, som de får fra professionelle (Cunningham & Diversi, 2013;Jones & Gragg, 2012;Goodkind, Schelbe, & Shook, 2011;Quest et al, 2012;Tilbury, Buys, & Creed, 2009). En anbringelse indebaerer, at unge føler sig afvist af familie og venner, og dette tab fylder meget (Lee et al, 2017;Samuels, 2009).…”

“…I bestraebelserne på at undgå accentuering af tidligere problemer er det afgørende, at de unge møder befordrende omstaendigheder, hvor deres forestillinger om fremtiden samstemmes med den aktuelle situation. Det lyder umiddelbart tilforladeligt, men studier peger på, at der kan vaere modstrid mellem "systemets" eller omsorgspersoners mål med anbringelsen og den unges egne mål (Jones & Gragg, 2012). Fordringen er derfor for de unge at håndtere tilbageslag og afvisning -oven i de andre usikkerheder, de unge står med.…”