LIFE SKILLS PROGRAM FOR CARE LEAVERS

Background and IntroductionKenya has approximately 16.5 million below 14 years, of which 2.4 million are orphans.1 Of the orphans, 47% come from families where parents died due to HIV/AIDs while 30-45% of the orphans end up in CCIs.2 Kenya Demographic Health Survey 2005/06 estimates 64% of Kenyan children below 14 years live with both parents, 20.5% are from single mother family, while 2.4% are from single father family. Further, 13.1% live outside parental care.3 The recently launched Guidelines for Alternative Family Care of Children in Kenya (October 2014) is the only document that give provisions for transitioning from CCIs and aftercare supports. In addition, there is no data indicating the number of care leavers in Kenya.

Pathways into institutionalized care include: abuse and neglect, unaccompanied asylum seekers, displaced or lost children, those in conflict with the law, child’s disability, street children, harmful cultural practices; the inability of a parent/guardian to fulfill parental responsibilities due to poverty, chronic illness, and disability; and death of the parent/guardian. The current child protection system in Kenya does not provide adequate preparation before leaving care and adequate supports after leaving care. A Care Leaver is a young person who has left institutionalized care due to the completion High School or other circumstances.

Roeber’s study found Care Leavers in Kenya experience low levels of academic achievement, high levels of unemployment, unstable career patterns, early parenthood, low self esteem, emotional and behavioral challenges, and a dependency mentality.4 More so, Care Leavers need for love and belonging, esteem, consistent quality care, attachment, identity, unconditional positive regard (acceptance), and basic needs are often unmet. Care Leavers are a highly vulnerable population which means that they have a higher degree of risks in comparison to their peers.5 This is why is essential that there be a positive transition so as not to exacerbate the already existing challenges.

Neuroscience shows that when children are constantly under chronic maltreatment, they over produce noradrenaline and adrenaline.6 When the systems are activated frequently and over time, it puts maltreated children at risk for the development of an exaggerated response to relatively minor stress. Studies have shown cerebral volume in the frontal lobe of the brain is

1 Kenya National Bureau of Statistics2 National Plan of Action for OVC 2007-20103 National Plan of Action for OVC 2007-2010 and 2008 Technical Assessment4 Roeber, E. (2011). A fair chance to life: Young careleavers in Kenya. Retrived on April 17th, 2015 from http://www.kesca.org/index.php/resources5 Fauth, R., Hart, D. & Payne, L. (2012). Supporting Care leavers’ successful transition to independent living. Research Summary 9, August 2012. London: NCB Research Centre.6 Bromfield, L. & Higgins, D. (2005). Chronic and isolated maltreatment in a child protection sample. Family Matters:70. Australian Institute of Family Studies.

reduced resulting in diminished capacities in decision making, judgment, self regulation, self soothing, planning ahead, concentration, self awareness, intelligence, and the capacity to love. The diminished capacities cause Care Leavers to have a predisposition towards aggression, difficulties in engaging in and maintain social relationships, engaging in harmful behavior towards self and others to ease the tension at brain caused by traumatic memories, and limited capacities to manage stress. The most impactful implication is that changes in brain structure translate to changes in the genetic-make up of Care Leavers which in turn negatively affects the next generation.

Ladies Empowerment ProgramLadies Empowerment Program (LEEP) is a 9 month program for young women who have exited or are exiting institutional care, specifically Charitable Children’s Institutions (CCIs). The main objective of this program is the provision of aftercare support in form of building capacities towards positive transitioning from institutional dependency to well adjusted, independent, productive adulthood. It is a psychosocial program that teachers Care Leavers life skills and provides a healing environment. Nisela Group was the implementing partner in piloting LEEP as a structured program for Kenya Society of Care Leavers (KESCA) in the year 2014/2015. Nisela’s role was to strengthen and give structure and systems to this already existing program through program design and set up a monitoring and evaluation system.

Figure 1: Picture of the members of LEEP in February 2014

Phase of the Program

Program Design

Nisela Group carried out a baseline survey which established the skills the Care Leavers needed to learn. This survey informed the phases of the program and the topics taught under each. The young women met twice a month, with a two week interval between the sessions, where they did practical assignments. The sessions were highly participatory, experiential, and used various art forms including music, art, and poems. The psychosocial program ensured that voluntary individual counseling sessions were available to the young women, and the facilitators were mentors to the participants especially by following up with them through phone calls and also during the sessions. The program also gave the ladies exposure in term of career where different professionals gave talks and participants took a field trip to various women’s groups who had set up businesses.

Challenges Experienced with Care Leavers

• For the first three months, the attendance was poor due to logistical issues and warped perception about the program. It took time for participants to begin to see themselves as co-facilitators in the learning and healing process. Inconsistency in attendance meant that the facilitators had to keep revisiting certain lessons due to low attendance since the topics were built on each other

• Difficulties in changing dependency mindsets, unlearning detrimental schemas and effect of institutionalization.

• Inconsistency in attendance. This interfered with gaining of life skills as some Care Leavers would be absent three consecutive sessions at a time i.e. had to keep revisiting certain lessons due to low attendance since the topics were built on each other.

Self management skills where self awareness, sexual reproductive health, and interpersonal skills are taught. Skills needed for establishing a career and obtaining a job such as CV writing, communication skills, time management, and career guidanceBusiness, entreprenuership, and financial management skills where the young women are taught how to identify business opportunities, draft a business plan, begin a business, and manage finances.

• Prejudiced world view of Care Leavers as exposure to real life experiences was largely missing i.e. understanding how choices made in the present lead to consequences.

Key Areas of Success• By December 2015, the program had successfully trained and mentored 13 Care Leavers.

Four of the Care Leavers are now employed, one has began her own business, three are in institutions of higher learning under sponsorship, three are utilizing their skills such as hair plaiting and cooking to earn and income and save, while two are living with relatives as they are making decisions about their lives.

• LEEP acted as an alternative family and support system for the Care Leavers where they were accepted for who they are, were able to ask questions and learn from other Care Leavers.

• Care Leavers learned many skills—positive qualities about self, identifying skills and made money from their skills, financial goals and saving, self confidence, finding their purpose, learning how to make decisions, public speaking skills, getting ready to face changes/challenges in life, and business and entrepreneurship skills

Lessons Learned• Care Leavers have unique challenges which must be dealt with in a firm, but sensitive ways. • There is need to evaluate the length of the program, the intensity, and the frequency of

meeting since feedback from Care Leavers revealed that the duration was inadequate full transition process to take place.

• Expand the program to include preparation for after care to career supports such as job placements, loans for small businesses etc.

• Be more intentional about the mentorship and accountability during the program, especially one-on-one sessions with the program participants.

Recommendations• The program to target young male Care Leavers.• A strong network of mentors who will provide to varied supports to Care Leavers. • Exposure to the “real world” through field trips, sharing of real life experiences, and inviting

different people to share their inspiring stories. • Expand the use of expressive arts as a non-threatening way of facilitating life skills.• Institutional entry and best practices to be monitored and evaluated, that is, the process of

entry, stay, and exit from CCI. • Implementation of the Guidelines for the Alternative Family Care of Children in Kenya (2014)

as a preventative measure. • Fundraise to up scale the program to include more Care Leavers and more counties in

Kenya.