The Experiences of University Students Formerly in OOHC, and Research Challenges to Current

Policy and Practice

Association of Childrens Welfare Agencies Best Practice Forum

Sydney, Australia11 November 2015

Dr Iain Matheson

Presentation Outline

PART 1: CONTEXT50 years of research on education and OOHCOverseas researchers on education and OOHCAustralasian researchers education and OOHC

PART 2: STUDYDesignOverarching findingsSpecific findings in relation to: (1) Schooling and university; (2) Foster care and leaving care; (3) Family friends, partners and community; and (4) Individuals.

PART 3: PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS & RESEARCH CHALLENGESEvidenceThe bigger pictureQuestions on social work practice

PART 1:

CONTEXT

Whether

Why

My

Might work

50 Years of Research on Education & OOHC

Sonia Jackson, Claire Cameron and

Felicity Fletcher-Campbell

Judy Sebba & Nikki Luke

Graham ConnellyRobbie Gilligan

Ingrid Höjer

Bo Vinnerljung & Hilma Forsman

Bob Flynn

Mark Courtney

Peter Pecora

Andrea Zetlin

Rami Benbenishty & Anat Zeira

Overseas Researchers on the Education of Children in OOHC

Judy Cashmore

Marina Paxman

Michelle Townsend

Elizabeth FernandezNicole Peel

Jo Cavanagh

Marion De Lemos

Sarah Wise

Andrew HarveyTrish McNamara

CREATE

Paul Testro

Clare Tilbury

Meegan CrawfordReeny Jurczyszyn

Dee Michell

ACT

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare

Alison SutherlandIain Matheson

Australasian Researchers on the Education of Children in OOHC

PART 2:

THE STUDY

Study Design

• Doctoral study• Qualitative • Research question• Methodology• Recruitment methods• Research participants

Slipping Down Ladders and Climbing Up Snakes?

All games have morals; and the game of Snakesand Ladders captures, as no other activity canhope to do, the eternal truth that for everyladder you hope to climb, a snake is waitingjust around the corner, and for every snake aladder will compensate...but I found, veryearly in my life, that the game lacked onecrucial dimension, that of ambiguity -because, as events are about to show, it isalso possible to slither down a ladder andclimb to triumph on the venom of a snake(Rushdie, 1981, p. 161).

Overarching Findings

• Kiwi kids in Foster Care can and do go on to university; some also graduate

• Being in Foster Care helped some participants get to university, but hindered others

• Distinct patterns across experiences, but some similarities with others in Foster Care

• Life in Foster Care is complex; some events had unintended consequences for participants

Schooling & University

Early readers

Gaps in schooling

+ PS/IS experiences

Success by IS

Extra-curricular activities

Behaviour managed

Few HS changes

Quality final HS?

Supportive HS

Favourite subjects

Local Uni.

Professional degrees

Ltd CYF support

No Uni. Support

2nd Yr. scholarships

But…

One participant getting a prestigious boarding school scholarship but…

One participant truanting from most of her classes but…

Fostering & Leaving Care

Educationally rich

Supportive final

Care to Independence

Matches

Quality

Multiple

Limited permanency

Most social

workers

Discharged by 17

Flatting whilst at school

No national advocacy

No national aftercare

But…

One participant getting a permanent foster care placement but…

One participant realising that her kin placement was breaking down but…

Family, Friends, Partners & Community

Family values education

Friends at High

School

Family supports

education

Partners supportive

Few long-term

friends

Limited siblings contact

But…

One participant having a parent who particularly valued education but…

One participant in and out of care during his primary school years but…

Individuals

Feeling cared

for

(Educ) resilience

Different future

Happy at High School

Own expectationsSerendipityGenerosity

Loss/change

IsolationShameAdversity

But…

One participant leaving school at 15but…

One participant experiencing multiple foster care placements but…

PART 3:

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS &

RESEARCH CHALLENGES

EVIDENCE

POLICY

STRATEGY

PROGRAMS

MANAGEMENT

The Bigger Picture

POLICY STRATEGY PROGRAMS MANAGEMENT

EducationWhat formal and informal supports within TAFE/University

can be accessed?

How do you demonstrate that you value the education of children in OOHC?

What can be done to encourage children’s sense of curiosity and development of a love of learning?

If some educational success by early high school is important, what might need to be done differently by social workers and

foster carers?

What can be done to help ensure that children have a positive relationship with a member of school staff?

If children are suspended or expelled from school, how can the negative impacts of this be mitigated?

If a ‘good’ school is as important as a good placement, what are the practice implications of this?

Do social workers and foster carers understand current high school education/school exams/TAFE/University processes?If stability during the latter high school years is critical, what

steps might need to be taken to keep children in a school where they are settled and doing well?

Who do children have to talk with about subject choices, TAFE/university courses, funding and careers?

Value education Love o

f learn

ing Educational success

Positive school relationships

Suspended or expelled A ‘g

ood’ s

ch

ool Understand education processes

Sta

bility

Subject choices

Supports within TAFE/University

POLICY STRATEGY PROGRAMS MANAGEMENT

Foster Care & Leaving Care

How can the likelihood of TAFE/University graduation be maximised?

Do all foster carers value education and provide an educationally-rich environment?

Can better and more timely out-of-school educational support be arranged for children in OOHC?

Do care providers have a sufficiently high quality and quantity of foster carers, for schooling to be a significant

part of the matching process?

How can care leavers in education be supported to remain with their foster carers?

What mix of formal and informal support can be offered to all care leavers?

Educationally richForm

al

an

d

info

rmal

Quantity and quality of carers

Maximisegraduation

Remain with foster carersOut-of-school support

POLICY STRATEGY PROGRAMS MANAGEMENT

Family, Friends, Partners & CommunityHow can children’s involvement in hobbies and

community organisations be encouraged?Where children’s biological family value education, how

might this be galvanised?How well are children’s friendships supported?

Family valuing education

Su

pportin

g c

hild

ren’s

frie

nd

sh

ips

Encouraging

involvement

in Community

POLICY STRATEGY PROGRAMS MANAGEMENT

Individuals

Do educationally resilient children also demonstrate resiliency across other areas of their life?

Do children feel cared for and cared about by at least one adult?

Do you understand, and get behind, the child’s hopes and dreams?

How can children’s sense of belonging at school be strengthened?

Hopes &

D

ream

s Sense of belonging

Resiliency

Children feel cared for

Final Thought

• Having people who care about you

• Experiencing stability

• Being given high expectations

• Receiving encouragement and support

• Being able to participate and achieve.

In Celebrating Success (Happer, McCreadie, & Aldgate, 2006) five factors emerged as critical to the success of children in OOHC:

“

“”

Thanks You!

Contact details for further information, and/or copy of presentation:

iain@mathesonassociates.co.nz

http://www.mathesonassociates.co.nz