From care to adulthood in European and Central Asian societies

For young people who have lived in alternative care, such as a large institution or foster care, becoming independent is a challenging and often daunting task. In many countries they face extreme hardship and are, for example, more likely to be discriminated against, undereducated, unemployed, homeless or live below the poverty line. This study, published by SOS Children’s Villages and launched on human rights day, provides an unprecedented review of the circumstances under which young people in 13 countries of Europe and Central Asia leave alternative care. The study reveals that the process of preparation to leave care and the subsequent transition is chronically flawed. For example, in Albania, where access to alternative care ends at 15, most care leavers become homeless and are exposed to violence and abuse; as is the case in Azerbaijan, where children in large residential care facilities “live in seclusion and have little information or understanding of the outside world”. Specifically, the Ageing Out of Care study reviews the personal, social, legal, and administrative challenges facing care leavers, identifies weaknesses in legislation and practice, and provides targeted recommendations for improvement. It also includes first hand accounts from young people, and a conclusion written by Mike Stein, renowned research professor in the field of leaving care. Data on this particular group of young people was scarce in most of the countries reviewed, and most governments have allocated very limited funding to the process of leaving care, causing young care leavers to be at extremely high risk of social exclusion. As Thomas Hammarberg, Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe, states, “[Young people leaving care] may face insurmountable problems when trying to access their rights to social protection and health care. They are particularly vulnerable to abduction, trafficking and abuse”_. This study is one of the main publications of “I Matter” campaign, initiated by SOS Children’s Villages International. This campaign aims to raise awareness on the issues that young people leaving care face. Its objectives are to share knowledge on leaving care, to empower young people, and to improve legislation and practice on leaving care. Young people actively take part in the campaign, thus helping shape legislation and practice. Ertion Axha, youth and member of the I Matter International Steering Group and International Youth Council, believes that through this campaign _“[young people] are managing to fight social exclusion; youngsters in alternative care feel interested and powerful enough to raise their voices and lobby the government”. For more information on the “I Matter” campaign, see the SOS Children’s Villages International website

 

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English - Ageing Out of Care3.16 MB 3.16 MB

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