We all have a role: Building social capital among youth in care

Presentation Outline ► Profile of youth in care ► Risks to social capital ► Sources of social capital  Family  Community  School  Peers

BC Adolescent Health Survey 2013 BC Adolescent Health Survey ▪29, 832 surveys were completed ▪1, 645 classrooms ▪56 school districts ▪325 PHNs and nursing students Over 1,000 had ever been in government care and over 300 were currently in a group home, foster home or on a Youth Agreement

Profile of Youth in CareProfile of Youth in Care

Profile of Youth in Care ▪Aboriginal youth were over- represented ▪24% born outside Canada

Profile of Youth in Care ▪Most youth were from urban areas ▪More likely to be a caretaker

Risks to Social CapitalRisks to Social Capital

Housing instability ▪Living without adults or alone linked to reduced social capital

Poverty ▪More likely than peers to: – go to bed hungry – miss out on activities ▪Improvements from previous years

Victimization ▪More likely to have been teased, excluded, assaulted and cyberbullied ▪More likely to have been abused and harassed

Health and disabilities ▪More likely to have physical disability

Mental health ▪More likely to have mental or emotional condition

Mental health ▪Higher rates of –Extreme stress –Despair –Self-harm –Considered suicide –Attempted suicide –Missing out on services

Sources of Social CapitalSources of Social Capital

Family

Family connectedness ▪Family connectedness was linked to: –Better mental health –Lower rates of risky substance use –School life ▪Strongly linked to post secondary for older youth

Supportive adult in family

Linking family social capital

Community

Helpful adult support ▪Benefits of local adults who care –Particularly for males and those living on a Youth Agreement or aging out of care ▪Adults who were helpful –Linked to improved mental health and future educational aspirations

Community Engagement ▪Participation in activities ▪Meaningful activities ▪Valued within activities

Neighbourhood and community ▪Neighbourhood safety –Lower rates of stress and despair –More likely to rate health as good/excellent

Linking community social capital ▪Greater breadth of community social capital associated with better mental health –Caring adult and being engaged in meaningful activities linked to post-secondary –Feeling like a part of the community linked to lower rates of heavy sessional drinking

School

Positive relationships with teachers –Helpful teachers linked to better mental health and positive future aspirations

Positive relationships with school staff ▪Linked to: –Not skipping school –Lower rates of risky substance use –Better mental health

Positive school environment ▪School safety linked to positive mental health ▪And post secondary plans ▪Positive peer relationships also linked to better outcomes

Linking school social capital

Peers

Peers

Romantic relationships

Prosocial friends Upset if arrested Less likely to have been in custody Upset if dropped out More connected to school Upset if used marijuana Less likely to have used in past month Upset if drank alcohol Less likely to have used in past month

Linking peer social capital ▪3 or more friends –Better mental health ▪Having friends with prosocial attitudes: –Positive educational aspirations ▪Prosocial friends were the only type of peer social capital linked to lower alcohol consumption

Social Capital Across Domains

Summary ▪Youth who enter the care system are dealing with significant challenges ▪Positive relationships in community, schools and with family and friends are linked to better health outcomes

For more information