Getting behind the closed door of care leavers: understanding the role of emotional support for young people leaving care |
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Authors: | Natasha Adley Victoria Jupp Kina |
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Institution: | 1. Children in Care Team, London, UKBeginning Jan 2015, all correspondence should be sent to her new address at Care Planning Team D, Care Planning and Children in Care, Brent Civic Centre, Engineers Way, Wembley HA9 0FJ, UK.;2. School of Education, Social Work and Community Education, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK |
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Abstract: | There have been significant changes in the legislative frameworks and guidance that surround social work practice with young people leaving the care system over the recent years. However, care leavers continue to face a range of challenges, achieve poor outcomes and research has consistently highlighted the insufficient attention paid to sources of emotional support. This paper provides empirical data from a small number of care leavers reflecting on their experiences of transitioning to independence. The findings provide further evidence of the lack of attention paid to emotional support by professionals and highlight the impact that this had on the young people's experiences. The young people identify their changing perceptions and needs as their experiences post‐care change, the complex reasons for why they may have rejected offers of support and make key recommendations for practice. This paper provides valuable insight into the process of leaving the care system from the perspective of care leavers themselves and raises key questions that challenge the structure of the current support systems, the nature of the professional relationship with young people in care and the priorities of current policy initiatives. |
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Keywords: | Care leavers emotional support networks emotional well‐being network maps transition to independence |
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