Stability indicators, child welfare provisioning and trajectory into university for care-experienced youth
Journal of Children's Services
ISSN: 1746-6660
Article publication date: 7 August 2024
Issue publication date: 30 October 2024
Abstract
Purpose
Children and youth who enter the care system have lower educational outcomes and university participation rates than their peers. This study aims to understand trend exceptions by examining the background of care-experienced undergraduates attending a research-intensive university in Canada.
Design/methodology/approach
Informed by social affordance theory, this study examined the presence of four indicators of stability (home, household occupants, school and legal status) during participants’ final three years of secondary education. Care-experienced undergraduates (N = 30) completed an online questionnaire. Associations between stability indicators, child welfare involvement in the final year of high school, educational outcomes and routes into higher education were analysed.
Findings
Stability across three to four indicators was experienced by 40% of participants, while 47% reported changes across three to four indicators. Only 20% had a change of school as compared to 47%–60% for other indicators. During their final year of high school, 73% of participants were supported by the child welfare system, with 50% being supported via a support program specifically for 16- to 18-year-olds. Stability scores were significantly lower for this latter subgroup compared to those who spent time in foster or group care and those who did not receive child welfare support during the final year of high school. Ninety percent of participants graduated from high school, 67% with the grades required to attend university. Three trajectories into undergraduate study were identified but could not be predicted using regression models.
Originality/value
This paper focuses on what has supported progression into a research-intensive university for care-experienced young adults and highlights the role of support programs for 16- to 18-year-olds.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
A sincere thank you to those who participated in this research. In addition, thanks to Chris Rambaran (UBC Enrolment Service Advisor) for their contributions to project conceptualization and recruitment.
Funding: Funding for this study was provided by a University of British Columbia AMS Impact Grant. The AMS did not have any role in research design or implementation. Gift cards for participants were provided via the engagement budget of the Enrolment Service Advisor for Former Youth in Care.
University of British Columbia Alma Mater Society.
Citation
O’Kane, M., Bird, C.M., Marshall, S., Quinn, A. and Charles, G. (2024), "Stability indicators, child welfare provisioning and trajectory into university for care-experienced youth", Journal of Children's Services, Vol. 19 No. 3, pp. 158-172. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCS-05-2023-0025
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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