The relevance and experience of education from the perspective of Croatian youth in-care

Abstract

Education can contribute to the well-being of children and youth in out-of-home care by increasing resilience, acting as a secure base and enhancing life chances and pathways. This paper presents results of a qualitative study which aimed to examine the educational opportunities of youth in public care in Croatia from the user's perspective. A brief review of Croatian experience regarding in-care youth is presented and discussed. Six focus groups were conducted with 31 youth from children's homes and foster families. Participants perceive education as important for all children and youth because it can enable better life conditions and improve employment possibilities but they consider it to be even more important for in-care children due to their lack of a stable family base, financial insecurity and pressure to be independent. Educational experiences reveal different educational choices, circumstances that promote and those that impede education, as well as a differentiated approach to in-care children. The young people pointed to several factors that facilitate positive educational outcome: personal strengths and self-efficacy, financial support and a good relationship with professionals.