The Role of Stable Relationships in the Transition from Care to Adulthood

Results and Discussion

Several themes were identified from critically analysing the included studies and these included; positive relationships, resilience, social support networks and coping strategies.

Positive relationships

The participants in several of the different studies identified stable and positive relationships as having made a contribution to their transition to adulthood successively (Schofield, Larsson and Ward, 2016; Furrey and Harris-Evans, 2021; Nash and Kneale, 2014; Rafaeli, Mangold, Zeira and Kongeter, 2016). Their responses point to their having been at least one adult within their care homes, who was caring. These were individuals who showed genuine interest and care to the individuals in care homes that went a long way in helping build trusting relationships. In addition, these adults came in handy in helping the participants in the expansion of their social networks by encouraging them to have healthy relationships with their siblings, introducing them to their family and friends. The formed relationships made it possible for the young adults to keep in touch and remain in contact with the adults even after they had left care. Through these relationships, the participants were helped to adjust to care. Schofield, Larsson and Ward (2016), identified four interacting factors that were key to successful turning points agency, connection, activity and coherence. Their narrative revealed that there was an important role played by nurturing relationships in addition to being supported after leaving care when transition workers facilitated their moving on and staying connected. There is apparent need for secure, warm and continuous relationships for young people who are under care. There is an important role played by the continuity of relationships in transitioning from care to adult life. Furrey and Harris-Evans (2021), also recognised supportive relationships as being necessary for successful transition to independence and bringing about positive outcomes for care leavers. This study identified attention to strengthening networks for emotional support as being significant factors with the potential of supporting transition to employment and care leaver`s successful independence. Cotton, Nash and Kneale (2014), also identified stable relationships with a significant adult as being a significant protective factor during the transition to adulthood. Rafaeli et al. (2016), also point out that the presence of stable relationships with adults brings about successful outcomes after care.

Resilience

Adley and Kina (2014) report that during transition to adulthood, young people face the challenge of socially integrating into communities. Care leavers indicate that they commonly face difficulties as they try to socialise with the community which comes about from the demeaning remarks that are thrown at them, which in the long run, make them to lose their confidence (Furey and Harris-Evans, 2021). The abilities of care leavers to interact with others on economic and personal levels are therefore restrained. Some care leavers end up getting into shock as a result of what they experience in mainstream communities. They end up holding perceptions of others living in communities as being less caring when they compare them to the people they interacted with when they lived in care homes (Schofield et al. 2017). Therefore, integration into mainstream community turns difficult. It is worth noting that even though participants confess about the various challenges they face, they also convey capacities of navigating the difficulties towards outcomes that are way better, by showing resilience (Driscoll, 2013). Schofield, Larsson and Ward (2016), report that resilience is key to successful transition of young adults. Resilience is a relatively useful concept and that is because it targets successful adaption to past challenges, current and future. Furey and Harris-Evans (2021), draw on the resilience theory and report that resilience is located in a relatively complex interaction between a resilience enabling environment and crucially emotionally supportive networks.

Social support networks

From the different included studies, there was evidence of the important role played by social support (Driscoll, 2013; Butterworth et al. 2017; Barrat et al. 2019; Rafaeli et al. 2017; Liabo et al. 2016). The participants in these different studies considered that social support that they got as being a platform for their success after leaving care. Informal sources of emotional and practical support came in handy after the young adults had left the care and improved their capabilities of dealing with the different challenges they faced. Care leavers are observed to be reliant on their established ties and networks with their friends, work colleagues, and former colleagues to build networks of supportive relationships. Those young adults who had been able to build positive relationships during their time in care were able to build their confidence in forming new relationships in their communities and that provided different forms of support, emotional and

In these studies, it is evident that the availability of support, either formal or informal in the lives of those leaving care plays the role of a crucial factor in shaping their successful transition. It is acknowledged that preparing to leave care and also gaining useful life skills is important to these young people`s readiness to leave care and better outcomes in the long term. From the different studies, it was clear from the personal narratives of the young people that extended stays in care were a key element that made them more prepared for adulthood. Through the extended care, the process of transition got normalised, the young adults were also able to acquire the life skills they so much needed, and were also able to complete their education by the time they got out of care. Participants who stayed in care for extended periods felt ready and mature enough to deal with adulthood responsibilities and expectation, promoting their abilities to cope and resilience. Furrey and Harris-Evans (2021) argue that emotional support drawn from networks that are emotionally supportive is one of the key factors that facilitates young people to navigate towards such resources resulting in successful outcomes. The analysis of the risk and protective factors in the experiences of care leavers in UK higher education by Cotton, Nash and Kneale (2014), highlights the importance of ensuring support for these care leavers when they at university. That has the potential of helping the care leavers to demonstrate the required resilience for successful completion.

Coping strategies

From the different studies, there is evidence of different strategies that are employed by young adults for purposes of dealing with the challenges of transition (Driscoll, 2013; Cotton, Nash and Kneale, 2014; Hung and Appleton, 2016; Barrat, Appleton and Pearson, 2019; Furey and Harris-Evans, 2021). Young people leaving care often struggle to cope emotionally and financially unless they are significantly supported. It is however worth noting that even with the challenges that they face, the majority of them are able to navigate through the challenges. There are young people with care backgrounds who go on to build formal informal relationships as they transition into adulthood and that provides them with the necessary resources to be able to cope with the challenges they face. Butterworth et al. (2017), highlight the importance of the presence of formal and informal support systems for developing young people`s smooth transition, including those systems that place them in a better position to deal with those challenges that they face as independent adults. According to Sims-Schouten and Hayden (2016), for young people, informal support is especially important when it is considered that the formal assistance that they were accorded during their stay at care homes reduced gradually and eventually ceases once they leave care. Addley and Jupp-Kinna (2014), make an assertion that the majority of young adults are able to cope, through navigation of resources and building of resources to attain resilience and optimal growth, through the presence of environmental and even personal support systems. Care leavers commonly use self-exclusion as a coping strategy. Pouw and Hodgkinson (2016), report that this strategy is based on the fears of being perceived as different, being treated differently and judged and being stigmatised as a result of their backgrounds. Owing to this, care leavers have the tendencies of avoiding such topics that involve the dangers of their upbringing getting exposed (Liabo et al. 2016). Another strategy that is commonly used to interact and relate to community is self-acceptance of coming from care and also being open about the same (Berhanu, 2021). Another commonly used coping strategy by care leavers is mentorship. The need for mentorship and spiritual guidance is acknowledged as being instrumental in helping care leavers to cope with the various vulnerabilities and difficulties that they face (Mezey, Meyer and Robinson, 2015). These difficulties and vulnerabilities often lead to most people getting into harmful substances like drugs. The roles of mentors are commonly allocated to teachers, older brothers and sisters from care, church leaders and their previous carers (Driscoll, 2013). The study`s point to the struggles of coping with the independence as forcing those who leave care to go against the set rules in communities through emphasis on perceived differences through the formation of their own groups and engagement in behaviours that are anti-social.

From analysis of the different included studies, it also becomes clear that there are some challenges commonly faced by participants as they transition to adulthood. These challenges include; employment and finances, and living and surviving by themselves.

Challenges with employment and finances

The accounts of different participants in some of the included studies point to them encountering challenges in finding jobs (Rosemary and Harris-Evans, 2012; Refaeli et al. 2016; Schofield et al. 2016; Barratt et al. 2019). As a result of not having any jobs, these individuals end up facing financial constraints. Stein (2012), recognises transition into employment as being an important step towards social and economic independence. This had effects on their quest to survive once they come out of care and some are even not able to afford daily meals. The issue of struggling to get employment could be attributed to inadequate preparation for the outside world. Dixon (2016), argues that people living in care lack wide social network and their capital is also limited. These findings are supported by several other studies (Dixon, 2016; Gypen, Vanderfaeillie and Meyer, 2017; Sulimani-Aidan and Melkman, 2018; Paulsen, Hojer and Melke, 2018). Rosemary and Harris-Evans (2012) highlight the need to give attention to strengthening emotional support networks for purposes of supporting transition to employment and subsequent independence for those leaving care.

Living and surviving alone

In the different included studies, participants commonly indicate that they found surviving and living by themselves relatively challenging and even terrifying (Driscoll, 2013; Hung and Appleton, 2016; Butterworth et al. 2017; Rafaeli et al. 2017; Schofield et al. 2017). When care leavers lived in homes, there were people they could easily turn to. However, when they leave care and are by themselves, things become difficult. In Rafaeli et al. (2017), one of the participants even confessed to not knowing what to do. Paulsen et al. (2018), posits that there are care leavers who are never ready for independent living as a result of having not received any preparation on how to live independently.

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