Description
The transition to adulthood is a longer and more complex process than it was just a few decades ago, and a growing number of youth and young adults experience significant challenges in the establishment of an autonomous and independent lifestyle when compared to previous generations. Successful high school graduation followed by employment is no longer the inevitable trajectory for young people, especially in the current socio-economic context where jobs are less accessible and more demanding in terms of specialized skills and higher academic qualifications. Unable to rely on family for emotional and financial support, vulnerable youth, who grow up in substitute care, are especially effected by the lengthening of this transition to adulthood.The dismal outcomes for youth growing up in care are by now well-documented, and more recently, a range of models have been proposed to help advance our understanding of these outcomes and how to forestall them. However, the literature on leaving care has long suffered from the absence of theory that could guide meaningful intervention. In response to this gap, Leaving Care and the Transition to Adulthood offers a comprehensive overview of the newest contributions to this area in relation to theory, in addition to the Theory of Emerging Adulthood, while also featuring cutting-edge research and best practices that support adjustment across a range of domains for this population. International in scope, this book focuses on bringing together major advances that span the literature on transitioning to adulthood within the care system, offering a unique and important contribution to the field.
Table of Contents
ForewordJeffrey Jensen ArnettIntroductionVarda R. Mann-FederPart One: Theoretical Perspectives1. How can I be a real adult? Developmental Theory as a Framework for Practice, Policy and Research on Care LeavingVarda R. Mann-Feder2. Social Networks and Social Support in the Transition to Adulthood: A Reflection on Social Integration ProcessesMartin Goyette3. Resilience, Transitions and Youth Leaving CareRobbie Gilligan4. Approaches to Realising the Rights of Young People Leaving out of Home CareEmily R. Munro5. Leaving Care Policy as Scaffolding for ResilienceJohn Pinkerton and Adrian Van BredaPart Two: Research Contributions6. The Transition to Adulthood from Care: A Review of Current ResearchÉlodie Marion and Veronika Paulsen7. The Benefits of Extending State Care to Young Adults: Evidence from the United States of AmericaMark E. Courtney8. The Experiences of Indigenous Young People Transitioning from Out-of-Home Care in Victoria, AustraliaPhilip Mendes, Bernadette Saunders and Susan Baidawi9. Leaving Child Protection at Age 18 or Continuing in Young Adult ProtectionIsabelle Frechon and Lucy Marquette10. Foster Care as a Support System for Early LeaversDoug Magnuson, Mikael Jansson and Cecilia Benoit11. Research on Care Leavers from JordanRawan W. IbrahimPart Three: Practice Issues12. Indigenous Youth Leaving Care in Canada: Lessons from our Past and PresentElizabeth Fast, Zeina Ismail Allouche, Marie-Eve Drouin Gagné and Vicky Boldo13. Mental Health and Suicide Concerns: Youth Work Practice Implications with Young People Leaving CarePatti Ranahan14. Caring Adults 'R' Everywhere (C.A.R.E.)©- Leveraging the Power of Relationships to Change the Lives of Foster YouthJohanna K.P. Greeson and Allison E. Thompson15. Care Leaving and the Transition Jungle in GermanySeverine Thomas, Carolin Ehlke, Josef Koch and Wolfgang Schröer16. Earning a Hoodie, Voyager Capital: Peers as Social Capital, Transitioning Young People from Care TogetherKim SnowAfterwordMartin Goyette
