‘In the end you’re no longer the kid from the children’s home, you‘re just yourself’: Resilience in care leavers over 25

Abstract

ABSTRACT Despite the growing number of studies on the factors that facilitate or hinder care leavers’ transition to adulthood, most research has been focused on assessing this transition when participants themselves are still going through it. The aim of the paper is to explore how interaction between the care system and youth can promote resilience from a long-term perspective. This is done by exploring the views of care-experienced youth from Catalonia (Spain). The method used in this study was a content analysis of 13 in-depth interviews based on a screening questionnaire (N = 68). The youths who participated in the study are aged 25–36, which makes it possible for them to evaluate their life trajectories with greater maturity and temporal distance. The main factors promoting resilience among young people formerly in out-of-home care are attributed, on the one hand, to the personal sphere, the ability to deal with adverse situations and a perception of control and autonomy; and on the other, to relational and environmental factors; their education and the social support received. One important addition is that the passing of time has helped them blend into the landscape without the label of ‘young people leaving care’. Implications for practice are presented.