Leaving Alternative Care and Reintegration

It is important to support children who are preparing to leave care. This includes helping young people as they ‘age out’ of the care system and transition to independent living, as well as children planning to return home and reintegrate with their families. In either case, leaving care should be a gradual and supervised process that involves careful preparation and follow-up support to children and families.

The transition from alternative care to independent living can be challenging for young people. While some departures from care may be well planned, others may be sudden or unexpected, leaving young people emotionally and financially ill-equipped to cope with change. Without adequate preparation for leaving care and support during the aftercare phase, young people may face risks such as long-term unemployment, substance abuse, involvement in criminal activities and homelessness. Studies indicate that the biggest barriers to transitioning children out of care includes the absence of supportive relationships, educational challenges, housing instability and economic challenges (unemployment).

Reducing these risks involves working with children to plan for life after care and adulthood– including helping them to determine the most appropriate living environment, develop necessary life, financial management and job skills, and ensure that they have a reliable support system in place. Once children leave care, they should be encouraged to maintain contact with their previous care givers and friends, have access to basic services and quality housing with financial assistance, and be supported to follow educational, vocational and employment opportunities. Above all, evidence indicates that young people who benefit from gradual, extended and supported transitions from care have better outcomes than those who leave early and abruptly.

Girls and boys who leave care to return home can also benefit from a gradual process of reintegration with their families – both before and after the event. Initially this should involve a comprehensive assessment of whether the problems that led to family separation (such as poverty or social problems) have been adequately resolved, and whether a return home is in a child’s best interests. If so, the child, family and alternative caregivers should be supported to prepare and plan for reintegration – which may involve increasing the frequency and duration of children’s family visits before the final return, helping to build parenting skills, assessing families’ financial, practical and emotional support needs and developing a care plan to address them.

Once children are reunited with their families, ongoing support and supervision can play a critical role in ensuring that reintegration is lasting. For example social or community workers can provide counselling support, facilitate families’ access to social protection benefits and make sure that children have the academic support required to catch up at a new school. In some cases, children’s extended family and the broader community can also be encouraged to provide emotional or practical support.

This section contains literature on children leaving alternative care in non-emergency settings. This includes lessons learned and best practices regarding family reintegration, as well as guidance for supporting young people as they leave the care system and transition to independent living.

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DataCare Project Technical Report: Better data for better child protection systems in Europe - Mapping how data on children in alternative care are collected, analysed and published across 28 European countries

Eurochild and UNICEF, 22 Dec 2021

This report was conceptualised jointly by Eurochild and the UNICEF Europe and Central Asia Regional Office (ECARO) and builds on the Eurochild report on alternative care in Europe published in 2009. It also includes a full set of country profiles.

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Transitioning Residential Care Services Video Case Studies

Better Care Network in partnership with Kinnected, 14 Dec 2021

These video case studies were developed as a part of the Transitioning Models of Care As

Making the Case for Transition - Kinnected Partner, India/Australia

Better Care Network in partnership with Kinnected, 14 Dec 2021

This video case study was developed as a part of the Transitioning Models of Care Assessment Tool training package. It is 1 of 8 video case studies exploring different aspects of learning on transitioning residential care services. To access the full set of case studies or the training package, visit the BCN Transition Hub.

Caring for our Children and Young People: An update on Scotland’s Corporate Parenting 2018 - 2021

The Scottish Government, 09 Dec 2021

Putting this second national report on corporate parenting before the Scottish Parliament in line with their duties under Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014, the Scottish Government provides an overview of corporate parents’ activities over the last three years. The report aims to become a useful learning resource for corporate parents.

Estudio de caso del proceso del cambio: Haciendo la Transición del Orfanato Firefly

Better Care Network and Kinnected, 01 Dec 2021

Este estudio de caso destaca algunas de las dinámicas clave que surgieron a lo largo del proceso de transición de sus servicios de la atención residencial a la programación no institucional de una organización y examina cómo esas dinámicas influyeron en la transición y determinaron el tipo de apoyo brindado, así como el más apropiado. estrategia de transición. El estudio de caso se organiza en torno a las distintas etapas de la transición y explora algunos de los temas clave descritos en la Herramienta de evaluación de modelos de atención en transición.

Versión inglesa

Report 2: Situational Assessment of Child and Family Protection Personnel Training in the Republic of Moldova

Changing the Way We Care, 01 Dec 2021

The purpose of the evaluation is to strengthen the training program for child and family protection personnel in coordination with recent programmatic, legislative, and methodological developments at national and international levels, and to effectively contribute to improving the quality of services for vulnerable children and families by improving the competencies of professionals in the system.

Overview

Estudio de caso de una transición de alto riesgo: Lighthouse Children’s Village

Better Care Network and Kinnected, 01 Dec 2021

La Aldea Infantil Lighthouse se estableció en 2004 como una institución de atención residencial de gestión privada y financiada con fondos privados. En 2014, su donante principal desde hace mucho tiempo tomó la decisión de eliminar gradualmente la atención institucional de apoyo financiero. Este estudio de caso destaca algunas de las señales de advertencia tempranas y el posterior descubrimiento de comportamientos no éticos y delictivos que a veces se pueden observar en un proceso de transición.

Versión inglesa

Herramienta de Evaluación de Modelos de Atención en Transición

Rebecca Nhep and Hannah Won - Better Care Network & Kinnected, an intitiative of ACC International Relief, with support from Changing the Way We Care, 01 Dec 2021

Esta herramienta tiene como objetivo ayudar a los profesionales a lograr los siguientes objetivos al brindar apoyo técnico a las instituciones en transición:

Versión inglesa

Estudio de caso de las condiciones que conllevan a una transició n segura: Bridges Safehouse

Better Care Network and Kinnected, 01 Dec 2021

Este estudio de caso destaca algunos de los requisitos previos para el punto de partida de una transición exitosa de la atención residencial a un modelo no residencial, muchos de los cuales a menudo se pasan por alto o se subestiman. El estudio de caso se organiza en torno a las distintas etapas de la transición y explora algunos de los temas clave descritos en la Herramienta de evaluación de modelos de atención en transición.

Versión inglesa

Case Study: Malaika Babies Home Uganda

Better Care Network, Child's i Foundation, USAID, 01 Dec 2021

Overtime, and after realising the full cost of running even a small residential program, and witnessing first-hand the developmental gains made by children once placed in foster care, Child’s i Foundation made a decision to fully transition and phase out their residential care program entirely.