Displaying 1 - 10 of 15
Abstract
International research consistently shows that young care leavers’ journey from care to emerging adulthood is characterised by adversities such as unemployment, poor academic performance, homelessness, involvement in criminal activities, mental illness and early parenthood. As research evidence points out, such negative outcomes are closely linked with the existence of multiple placements, lack of mentoring, limited connections with significant others, the absence of early preparation to leave care, and a dearth of or inadequate policy frameworks that entitle care leavers to use…
In this online event, Family for Every Child members FSCE (Ethiopia), The Mulberry Bush (UK), Praajak (India) and CSID (Bangladesh) discussed children's care in the context of COVID-19. Discussion points included responding to vulnerable groups including children on the move and children with disabilities; domestic violence; kinship care and the digital divide. This webinar also included an overview of what is happening across the membership, and how Family is adapting to support members during this time.
Abstract
Globalization of knowledge and scholarship raises the challenges of dialogue between Global North and South. Northern knowledge and voice remain privileged, while writing from the South often goes unread. This is true also in emerging adulthood and care-leaving scholarship. The special issue of Emerging Adulthood titled “Care-Leaving in Africa” is the first collection of essays on care-leaving by African scholars. It presents both care-leaving and emerging adulthood scholars from the Global North a unique opportunity to consider the implications of a rising…
Abstract
The phenomenon of care-leavers’ experience of aftercare in Ethiopia has not yet been recognized. A qualitative research design was used to uncover female care-leavers’ experience of aftercare in 2017. Participants in the study were recruited via a snowball sampling technique, and data were collected through in-depth interviews and a review of documents. The generated data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The study found that participants are faced with different adversities, such as job searching, homelessness, the inability to pay housing rent, being betrayed, and not…
Executive Summary
Multiple factors such as poverty, violence and neglect continue to push children outside family care around the world. Although different interventions such as family reintegration or foster care aim to return children to safe family environments, they are not always feasible for older children. In such instances independent living may be considered as a form of alternative care which allows children to gradually gain autonomy making reintegration into their communities possible. This literature review explores current international and selected national policy on…
Each year Retrak maps the locations of family reintegration placements and tracks trends in locations over time. They have used this information to help them understand the geographic spread of children coming to the streets and to target prevention programmes on ‘’hotspots’’- places from which many children migrate to the streets.
The goal of this final evaluation is to build on the mid-term review of a 3-year pilot community project established to address some of the push factors that were leading many children to come to the city of Addis Ababa from Ethiopia’s southern region (SNNPR). The final evaluation assess achievements of the project to guide decision-making on next steps for the project and to generate learning for informing similar projects in future.
This study sought to inform improvements in service delivery of Retrak’s Independent Living programme by listening to and documenting the voices of participants. The interviewees were asked for feedback on the support they received and their ideas for improvement and aspirations. The ideas and experiences of these young people highlighted the importance of supportive relationships, gaining skills and finding employment, as well as feeling included and accepted by their communities. The stories they shared have provided Retrak with valuable insights into how to better support our…
Retrak Ethiopia believes that its child protection and family strengthening initiatives could be further improved by better addressing economic issues within reintegrated families. This small research project was conceived to investigate the issues surrounding economic strengthening with Retrak Ethiopia’s reintegration programmes with the aim of seeking new ways to address the challenges.
Abstract
This interpretive study examines the experiences of 54 Ethiopian emerging adults who had aged out of institutional care facilities. Findings are derived from interviews and focus groups in which questions and activities focused on the challenges faced by participants and the supports they relied on throughout the transition process. These young adults reported facing many challenges upon leaving care, including difficulty finding gainful and interesting employment, a lack of many basic life skills, difficulty finding a support network, and significant stigma in…