The Experiences of University Students Formerly in OOHC, and Research Challenges to Current Policy and
Practice
Association of Childrens Welfare Agencies Best Practice Forum
Sydney, Australia 11 November 2015
Dr Iain Matheson
Presentation OutlinePART 1: CONTEXT50 years of research on education and OOHCOverseas researchers on education and OOHCAustralasian researchers education and OOHC
PART 2: STUDYDesignOverarching findingsSpecific findings in relation to: (1) Schooling and university; (2) Foster care and leaving care; (3) Family friends, partners and community; and (4) Individuals.
PART 3: PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS & RESEARCH CHALLENGESEvidenceThe bigger pictureQuestions on social work practice
PART 1:
CONTEXT
Whether
Why
My
Might work
50 Years of Research on Education & OOHC
Sonia Jackson, Claire Cameron and Felicity Fletcher-Campbell
Judy Sebba & Nikki Luke
Graham ConnellyRobbie Gilligan
Ingrid Höjer
Bo Vinnerljung & Hilma Forsman
Bob Flynn
Mark Courtney
Peter Pecora
Andrea Zetlin
Rami Benbenishty & Anat Zeira
Overseas Researchers on the Education of Children in OOHC
Judy CashmoreMarina PaxmanMichelle TownsendElizabeth FernandezNicole Peel
Jo CavanaghMarion De LemosSarah WiseAndrew HarveyTrish McNamara
CREATEPaul TestroClare TilburyMeegan CrawfordReeny Jurczyszyn
Dee Michell
ACTAustralian Institute of Health and Welfare
Alison SutherlandIain Matheson
Australasian Researchers on the Education of Children in OOHC
PART 2:
THE STUDY
Study Design
• Doctoral study• Qualitative • Research question• Methodology• Recruitment methods• Research participants
Slipping Down Ladders and Climbing Up Snakes?
All games have morals; and the game of Snakes and Ladders captures, as no other activity can hope to do, the eternal truth that for every ladder you hope to climb, a snake is waiting just around the corner, and for every snake a ladder will compensate...but I found, very early in my life, that the game lacked one crucial dimension, that of ambiguity - because, as events are about to show, it is also possible to slither down a ladder and climb to triumph on the venom of a snake (Rushdie, 1981, p. 161).
Overarching Findings
• Kiwi kids in Foster Care can and do go on to university; some also graduate
• Being in Foster Care helped some participants get to university, but hindered others
• Distinct patterns across experiences, but some similarities with others in Foster Care
• Life in Foster Care is complex; some events had unintended consequences for participants
Schooling & University
Early readers
Gaps in schooling
+ PS/IS experiences
Success by IS
Extra-curricular activities
Behaviour managed
Few HS changes
Quality final HS?
Supportive HS
Favourite subjects
Local Uni.
Professional degrees
Ltd CYF support
No Uni. Support
2nd Yr. scholarships
But…
One participant getting a prestigious boarding school scholarship but…
One participant truanting from most of her classes but…
Fostering & Leaving Care
Educationally rich
Supportive final
Care to Independence
Matches
Quality
Multiple
Limited permanency
Most social
workers
Discharged by 17
Flatting whilst at school
No national advocacy
No national aftercare
But…
One participant getting a permanent foster care placement but…
One participant realising that her kin placement was breaking down but…
Family, Friends, Partners & Community
Family values education
Friends at High
School
Family supports
education
Partners supportive
Few long-term
friends
Limited siblings contact
But…
One participant having a parent who particularly valued education but…
One participant in and out of care during his primary school years but…
Individuals
Feeling cared
for
(Educ) resilience
Different future
Happy at High School
Own expectationsSerendipityGenerosity
Loss/change
IsolationShameAdversity
But…
One participant leaving school at 15 but…
One participant experiencing multiple foster care placements but…
PART 3:
PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS &
RESEARCH CHALLENGES
EVIDENCE
POLICY
STRATEGY
PROGRAMS
MANAGEMENT
The Bigger Picture
POLICY STRATEGY PROGRAMS MANAGEMENT
EducationWhat formal and informal supports within TAFE/University
can be accessed? How do you demonstrate that you value the education of
children in OOHC?What can be done to encourage children’s sense of curiosity
and development of a love of learning?If some educational success by early high school is important, what might need to be done differently by social workers and
foster carers?
What can be done to help ensure that children have a positive relationship with a member of school staff?
If children are suspended or expelled from school, how can the negative impacts of this be mitigated?
If a ‘good’ school is as important as a good placement, what are the practice implications of this?
Do social workers and foster carers understand current high school education/school exams/TAFE/University processes?If stability during the latter high school years is critical, what
steps might need to be taken to keep children in a school where they are settled and doing well?
Who do children have to talk with about subject choices, TAFE/university courses, funding and careers?
Value education Love of learning Educational success
Positive school relationships
Suspended or expelled A ‘good’ school
Understand education processes
Stability
Subject choices Supports within TAFE/University
POLICY STRATEGY PROGRAMS MANAGEMENT
Foster Care & Leaving CareHow can the likelihood of TAFE/University graduation be
maximised? Do all foster carers value education and provide an
educationally-rich environment?Can better and more timely out-of-school educational
support be arranged for children in OOHC?Do care providers have a sufficiently high quality and
quantity of foster carers, for schooling to be a significant part of the matching process?
How can care leavers in education be supported to remain with their foster carers?
What mix of formal and informal support can be offered to all care leavers?
Educationally richFormal
and inform
alQuantity and quality of carers
Maximise graduationRemain with foster carers
Out-of-school support
POLICY STRATEGY PROGRAMS MANAGEMENT
Family, Friends, Partners & CommunityHow can children’s involvement in hobbies and
community organisations be encouraged? Where children’s biological family value education, how
might this be galvanised?How well are children’s friendships supported?
Family valuing education
Supporting children’s friendships
Encouraging involvement in Community
POLICY STRATEGY PROGRAMS MANAGEMENT
IndividualsDo educationally resilient children also demonstrate
resiliency across other areas of their life? Do children feel cared for and cared about by at least
one adult?Do you understand, and get behind, the child’s hopes
and dreams?How can children’s sense of belonging at school be
strengthened?
Hopes & Dream
s Sense of belonging
Resiliency
Children feel cared for
Final Thought
• Having people who care about you• Experiencing stability• Being given high expectations• Receiving encouragement and support• Being able to participate and achieve.
In Celebrating Success (Happer, McCreadie, & Aldgate, 2006) five factors emerged as critical to the success of children in OOHC:
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Thanks You!
Contact details for further information, and/or copy of presentation:
[email protected]://www.mathesonassociates.co.nz
