Stability indicators, child welfare provisioning and trajectory into university for care-experienced youth
| Date | 07 August 2024 |
| Pages | 158-172 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JCS-05-2023-0025 |
| Published date | 07 August 2024 |
| Author | Michelle O’Kane,Connie M. Bird,Sheila Marshall,Ashley Quinn,Grant Charles |
Stability indicators, child welfare
provisioning and trajectory into
university for care-experienced youth
Michelle O’Kane, Connie M. Bird, Sheila Marshall, Ashley Quinn and Grant Charles
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
universityin 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 (N¼30)
completed an online questionnaire.Associations between stability indicators, child welfare involvement
in the finalyear of high school, educational outcomesand routes into higher educationwere analysed.
Findings –Stability across three to fourindicators 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% ofparticipants 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 timein foster or group care and those who did notreceive child welfare support duringthe final year
of high school.Ninety percent of participants graduatedfrom high school, 67% with the grades required
to attend university. Three trajectories into undergraduate study were identified but could not be
predictedusing 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 Care-experienced, Care leavers, Former youth in care, Undergraduates, School stability,
Placement stability
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Young adults who have spent time living in alternative care arrangements due to child
welfare interventions enter postsecondary education at a significantly lower rate than their
peers (Courtney and Okpych, 2019). As a result, they do not accrue the advantages
associated with the completion of a university degree such as improved employment
prospects, higher incomes and better health (McMahon, 2009), which further widens the
financial and wellbeing gaps between the two populations. For those care-experienced
youths who do move on to higher education (Brady and Gilligan, 2019;Courtney and
Okpych, 2019), specific supports, positive or aspirational messaging and preparation are
positively associated with this transition (Avant et al.,2021;Barnow et al.,2015). Child
welfare jurisdictions are extending care provisions past the age of majority (Courtney and
Okpych, 2019) and many higher education institutions are providing financial or support
Michelle O’Kane, Connie M.
Bird and Sheila Marshall
are all based at the School
of Social Work, The
University of British
Columbia, Vancouver,
Canada. Ashley Quinn is
based at the
Factor-Inwentash Faculty of
Social Work, University of
Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
Grant Charles is based at
the School of Social Work,
The University of British
Columbia, Vancouver,
Canada.
Received 1 May 2023
Revised 13 February 2024
22 April 2024
Accepted 30 April 2024
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.
PAGE 158 jJOURNAL OF CHILDREN’S SERVICES jVOL. 19 NO. 3 2024, pp. 158-172, ©Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 1746-6660 DOI 10.1108/JCS-05-2023-0025
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