Abstract
Drawing on research from Romania, this chapter discusses the role of informal support for young people leaving care, in particular, support from other care leavers. Two conceptual models frame the discussion, one emphasizing the importance for leaving care of process, and the other of social ecology. In the Romanian research, relationships between care leavers played a key role in offering instrumental support and some sense of security and belonging to the young people as they tackled the difficulties of life after care. Such support could, however, also perpetuate negative behaviours and a ‘care identity’ that holds care leavers back from ‘moving on’. The chapter calls for greater attention to be paid to informal support in general, and care leavers support for one another in particular, within leaving care research, policy and practice.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adley, N., & Jupp Kina, V. (2015). Getting behind the closed door of care leavers: Understanding the role of emotional support for young people leaving care. Child and Family Social Work. doi:10.1111/cfs.12203.
Anghel, R. (2011). Transition within transition: How young people learn to leave public care behind while their carers are stuck in the neutral. Children and Youth Services Review, 33(12), 2526–2531.
Anghel, R., & Beckett, C. (2007). Skateboarding behind the EU lorry: The experience of Romanian professionals struggeling to cope with transitions while assisting care leavers. European Journal of Social Work, 10(1), 3–19.
Anghel, R., & Dima, G. (2008). Romania. In M. Stein & E. Munro (Eds.), Young people’s transitions from care to adulthood: International research and practice (pp. 158–172). London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Anghel, R., Herzog, M., & Dima, G. (2013). The challenge of reforming child protection in Eastern Europe: The cases of Hungary and Romania. Psyhosocial Intervention (Intervencion Psicosocial), 22(3), 239–249.
Baban, A., Marcu, O., & Craciun, C. (2008). Romanian country report, In Ai.Bi. Report 2008, Child abandonment: an emergency, Milano: FrancoAngeli.
Balica, E. (2002). Tinerii din centrele de plasament intre integrare si marginalizare. Revista de Asistenta Sociala, 6.
Barry, M. (2012). Social capital in the lives of young carers. In J. Allan & R. Catts (Eds.), Social capital, children and young people: Implications for practice, policy and research (pp. 53–76). Bristol: Policy Press.
Blakeslee, J. (2012). Expanding the scope of research with transition-age foster youth: Application of the social network perspective. Child and Family Social Work, 17, 326–336.
Briheim-Crookall, L. (2011). Making the cut: Planning transitions for care leavers in an age of austerity. London: National Care Advisory Service.
Cieslik, M., & Simpson, D. (2013). Key concepts in youth studies. London: Sage.
Coleman, J. (2011). The nature of adolescence (4th ed.). London: Routledge.
Coleman, J., & Hagell, A. (Eds.) (2007). Adolescence, risk and resilience: Against the odds. Chichester: Wiley.
Collins, M. E. (2015). Macro perspectives on youths aging out of foster care. Washington, DC: NASW Press.
Dima, G. (2012). Experiences of young people leaving care: A Romanian psycho-social study. Saarbrucken: LAP Lambert Academic Publishing.
Dima, G., & Skehill, C. (2011). Making sense of leaving care: The contribution of Bridges model of transition to understanding the psycho-social process. Children and Youth Services Review, 33, 2532–2539.
Emergency Order 26. (1997). The protection of children in difficulty, published in Official Monitor, nr.276 on 24/07/1998.
Field, J. (2003). Social capital. London: Routledge.
Frimpong-Manso, K. (2015). The social support networks of care leavers from a children’s village in Ghana. Child and Family Social Work. doi:10.1111/cfs.12218.
Henderson, S., Holland, J., McGrellis, S., Sharpe, S., & Thompson, R. (2007). Inventing childhoods: A biographical approach to youth transitions. London: Sage.
Hiles, D., Moss, D., Wright, J., & Dallos, R. (2013). Young people’s experience of social support during the process of leaving care: A review of the literature. Children and Youth Services Review, 35(12), 2059–2071.
Law 272. (2004). On the protection and promotion of children’s rights. Published in the Official Monitor, nr.557 on 23/06/2004.
Marcovici, O., & Dalu, A. M. (2002). Youth transitions, youth policy and participation, workpackage 2 Report. Bucharest: YOYO Project.
Marginean, I., Popescu, R., Arpinte, D., & Neagu, G. (2004). Conditii Sociale ale Excluziunii Copilului. Bucharest: Academia Romana, INCE, ICCV.
McMahon, C., & Curtis, C. (2013). The social networks of young people in Ireland with experience of long-term foster care: Some lessons for policy and practice. Child and Family Social Work, 18, 329–340.
Muga, M. (Ed.) (2005). Studiu Privind Situatia Tinerilor care Parasesc Sistemul de Protectie a Copilului. Bucharest: Institutul National de Cercetare Stiintifica in Domeniul Muncii si Protectie Sociale.
National Authority for the Protection of Children’s Rights and Adoption (ANPDCA). (2015). Statistics. At http://www.mmuncii.ro/j33/images/buletin_statistic/copil_III2015.pdf. Accessed 25 Jan 2016.
National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence and the Social Care Institute for Excellence (NICE/SCIE). (2010). The effect of support services for transition to adulthood/leaving care on the adult outcomes of looked after young people. Available online at www.nice.org.uk/guidance/
Pinkerton, J. (2011). Constructing a global understanding of the social ecology of leaving out of home care. Children and Youth Services Review, 33, 2412–2416.
Pinkerton, J., & Dolan, P. (2007). Family support, social capital, resilience and adolescent coping. Child & Family Social Work, 12(3), 219–228.
Pinkerton, J., & Rooney, C. (2014). Care Leavers’ experiences of transition and turning points: Findings from a biographical narrative study. Social Work and Society, 12(1), 1–12.
Roth, M. (1999). Children’s rights in Romania: Problems and progress. Social Work in Europe, 6(3), 30–37.
Smith, W. B. (2011). Youth leaving foster care: A developmental, relationship-based approach to practice. New York: Oxford University Press.
Smith, J. A., Flowers, P., & Larkin, M. (2009). Interpretative phenomenological analysis: Theory, method and research. London: Sage.
Stein, M. (2005). Resilience and young people leaving care: Overcoming the odds. York: Joseph Rowntree Foundation.
Stein, M. (2012). Young people leaving care: Supporting pathways to adulthood. London: Jessica Kingsley.
United Nations General Assembly. (2009). Guidelines for the alternative care of children. Adopted by the UN General Assembly 18 December 2009 (A/RES/64/142). http://www.iss-ssi.org/2009/assets/files/guidelines/Guidelines-English.pdf
Van Audenhove, S., & Vander Laenen, F. (2015). Future expectations of young people leaving youth care in Flanders: The role of personal and social capital in coping with expected challenges. Child and Family Social Work. doi:10.1111/cfs.12233.
Winter, K. (2015). Supporting positive relationships for children and young people who have experience of care. IRISS Insights, 28, 1–20.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Copyright information
© 2016 The Author(s)
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Dima, G., Pinkerton, J. (2016). The Role of Informal Leaving Care Peer Support Networks in Romania. In: Mendes, P., Snow, P. (eds) Young People Transitioning from Out-of-Home Care. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-55639-4_20
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-55639-4_20
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-137-55638-7
Online ISBN: 978-1-137-55639-4
eBook Packages: Social SciencesSocial Sciences (R0)