Enabling young people with a care background to stay in education in Hungary: accommodation with conditions and support

Abstract

Young people can legally leave care at the age of 18 in Hungary. At that time, they can step out of the child-protection system or have the option of requesting to stay in aftercare provision if they wish to pursue their studies. Aftercare provision is a combination of services that include accommodation, financial support, personal advice, help to find the most suitable form of education, support for studying, assistance to achieve integration into society and conflict management. Most young people choose this option, remain until they are 24 or 25 years of age and become independent roughly at the same age when their peers leave their families to start a life on their own. The article discusses the educational careers of young people with a care background within this context. Children in care are less likely than their counterparts living in birth families to go on with their studies after the compulsory age of completing schooling. Most of them wish to learn some kind of profession, and only a small percentage enter higher education. The system of aftercare provision is a good means to motivate young people in care to study further and to help those who wish to obtain a higher education degree.