1. What happens after leaving care? – Preliminary Findings from an Irish sample EUSARF CONFERENCE Copenhagen 3-5 sept. 2014 Conor Mc Mahon - TUSLA Robbie Gilligan - Trinity College Dublin

2. Overall study (n=48) Sample of 48 care leavers in 5 calendar years 2007- 2011 27 male, 21 female All care leavers in the selected region in period In-depth study tracking educational and social progress post – leaving care Collaboration between practitioner / researcher in agency and academic

3. Study Design: 3 elements: – Analysis of records – Interview with after care worker – Third phase to be completed – interviews with young people Full ethical and organisational approval

4. This presentation First presentation from overall study Preliminary findings with Focus on education / training / work trajectories post leaving care

5. Context Economic collapse and austerity High unemployment (esp. youth) Tradition of good after care provision in area Well established after care team High rate of foster care (incl. relative care) Rural counties with two urban centres

6. – Early school leavers, no final exam – Completed school and final exam, not currently occupied – Completed school and final exam and currently occupied – Young people with learning disability-(will not be included in this presentation, subject of different sub-study) Four clusters following analysis

7. Sample Categories 48 Early school leavers (18) School / exam completers (24) 6 Disability

8. Status- Currently occupied/not occupied 25 not occupied 17 study/work 42

9. School / Final Exam Completers

10. ESL 18 Not currently occupied 14 Returned to education / training 4

11. Groups of interest In work or study Not occupied Early school leavers who return to education Drop outs from Courses

12. In work or study (n=17) 4 in employment, 1 in 3rd level education, 12 in further education/training. Common Characteristics: - lived in Foster Care - majority in care longer - most in one placment during time in care Case example : (Two young people from this group - school completers and either in or had completed 3rd level education) - admitted to care at an early age - remained in the one supportive foster placement - maintained postive and on-going contact with Birth Family.

13. Not currently occupied (n=25;60%) Composed of young people from ESL group (14) and School Completers(11) Nearly half of this group had experienced mutiple placements - 2 of the young people from this group had experienced 5 moves during their time in care - One other young person from this group had experienced 9 moves during their time in care.

14. Early school leavers who return to education (n=4) Small but important group – what accounted for this ‘positive deviance’? Profile: - Three female, one male - Lacked birth family support, - instability post leaving care - All early school leavers - Two are parents - Three on training courses, one back to study LC Common Characteristics: strong engagement with after care (all 4) Committed and supportive other

15. ‘Drop outs’ from Courses Non-completion of courses was quite common amongst group with 25 of the 42 having ‘dropped out’ from at least one course (60%). Non-completion of courses included in both groups - early school leavers and school exam completers 75% of school /exam completers have experience of not completing at least one course. Tendency in course drop outs to struggle to find a clear or defined education/training/career path Iinstability that some of the young people experience post leaving care impacts on their ability to complete courses of study e.g one young person had not completed 4 courses, this young person had muliple moves in care and post care.

16. Comparison between 2 groups in study population : Group A- 20 young people who have been out of care longer. 9 of this group (45%) were early school leavers, 5 (25%) had completed final exams and not currently occupied, 6 (30%) had completed final exam and were currently occupied Group B – 22 young people who had left care more recently. 9 (41%) of this group were early school leavers, 6 (27%) had completed final exams but were not currently occupied, and 7 (32%) had completed final exams and were currently occupied. Broadly similar out comes for 2 group – does time improve outcomes for this group ?

17. Key issues Significant amount of young people in study not occupied, only 2 in every 5 in education/training or work. High number of Early School leavers/low numbers in 3rd level High number from study population have experienced non- completion of at least one course Length of time out of care not necessarily having an impact on outcomes. How factors such as positive impact from supportive other and good aftercare support can have a positive impact where outcomes may originally have been perceived as negative.

18. conclusions Educational attainment remains an issue for this group of young people, too late to fix at time of leaving care, needs to be addressed earlier to avoid ESL. – joint approach Education and Social Work. Clear that some young people can attain despite some initial negative outcomes – resilience? Less focus on getting young person on any course but getting them on the right one-may take time. Resourcing – Aftercare Services. How to address the low numbers in 3rd Level.

19. Thank you