Young People's Experience of Participation When Exiting out of Care.

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to focus on young people's experiences of participation during the process of transition from placements in out-of-home care independent life. 65 young care leavers were interviewed, 14 boys and 51 girls between 18 and 26 years old. Results show that those who were invited to participate in the planning of their care leaving experienced a more positive and successful transition from care to adulthood. When administrative regulations guided the care leaving process, young people felt excluded and out of control, and their transition became a more negative experience.