Displaying 1 - 10 of 17
Abstract
Current literature on family social support of children and youth in out-of-home care usually focuses on contact with parents, especially mothers. However, the few studies that examine the role of siblings in the lives of youth in care show that closeness to siblings is associated with increased well-being. This study examined the self-reports of youth in Israeli residential care settings designed for youth from underprivileged backgrounds on the extent of perceived availability of support from their siblings among other sources of support, and the contribution of sibling support…
Introduction
Out-of-home care, especially treatment residential care programs (TRC) are often described in the media, and even in some professional studies, as obsolete social structures (Consensus Statement, 2014). Residential care settings are out-of-home facilities such as educational youth villages and educational, therapeutic, or rehabilitation residential treatment centers (Grupper, 2013). Their aim is to provide education, treatment, rehabilitation or protection for children and youth, including those at risk and others, to protect these young people and work toward making a…
Abstract
Emerging adulthood is a complex and critical period during which young adults are required to make significant decisions that will affect their adult lives (Arnett, 2000). The current exploratory study is the first to look at the challenges and barriers in this transitional life stage of 23 Israeli Arab young adults, from their own perspectives, after leaving residential care. Thematic analysis revealed several main themes among the participants, including cultural and social expectations, self-perceptions as a minority group, harmful and unsupportive family relationships, lack of…
Abstract
Residential child care workers, acting in loco parentis, are in continuous, daily contact with the children in their care, and as such they are one of the key support providers in their lives. However, there is little research on the extent of the support and contribution they make to the children’s well-being. This study examines the link between perceived staff social support and emotional and behavioral adjustment difficulties of adolescents in educational residential care settings (RCSs) designed for youth from underprivileged backgrounds in Israel. It also…
Abstract
Children and adolescents in residential-care facilities often have lower academic achievements that their counterparts who are raised at home. Traditionally, residential programs do not prioritize academic achievements, especially at the high-school level, a situation detrimental to their chances to enter institutes of higher education. The Israel Ministry of Education decided to implement a policy change to affect the overall ecology of youth villages (Israeli residential schools), aimed at emphasizing high school academic achievements as a key to future success. This attitudinal…
Abstract
Social work policies emphasize the importance of encouraging parent-child contact to enhance the well-being of children in care. However, there is little research on the frequency and quality of contact between adolescents in residential care settings (RCSs) and their mothers and fathers. Research based on the self-reports of youth in RCSs is also limited. This study was based on a random cluster sample of 1409 youth, aged 13 to 20, in Israeli educational RCSs designed for youth from underprivileged backgrounds. It examined the youths' self-reports of the perceived availability of…
Abstract
Most studies on young people aging-out of residential care (care leavers) have examined their situation in various post-care life domains (e.g. education, employment), but their subjective well-being, particularly life satisfaction, has been neglected. Here we focus on life satisfaction among care leavers four years after leaving care in Israel. Mixed-methods and longitudinal approaches were used to identify personal and social factors contributing to life satisfaction. The quantitative sample included 222 young people who were interviewed at three time points (T1-T3): on the…
Abstract
Grandparental support among youth in out-of-home settings in general, and among youth in residential care settings (RCSs) in particular, has been largely under-researched. The current study, based on the reports of a random cluster sample of 1236 adolescents in grades 8 to 12 residing in Israeli educational RCSs for youth from underprivileged backgrounds, examined the contribution of informal grandparental support to the life satisfaction of adolescents in RCSs. The findings showed that the grandparent identified by the adolescent as the closest grandparent (usually the maternal…
Abstract
Summary
This exploratory study deals with biological parents’ involvement in residential placement in Israel from the point of view of 79 youth who left care. It presents youth’s retrospectives on their parents’ involvement in care and the degree to which the placement staff involved parents in reality. The youth functioning while in care and after leaving were also examined according to their parents’ involvement.
Findings
Results show that only a quarter of the youth reported that staff involved their parents on a regular basis. T-tests and chi square tests showed…
Abstract
Thinking about and planning for the future are crucial in emerging adulthood. The goal of this study was to explore the assets and pathways in pursuing the future goals of 25 care leavers in Israel. Thematic analysis revealed three main themes including the young adults' professional figures, informal network and personal characteristics. The findings indicate that care leavers utilize their reliance on themselves in order to move towards their goals. In addition, their parents' struggles in life are perceived as a motivator in seeking a better future for themselves. The…