IMPACT OF FOSTER CARE SYSTEM ON AGED OUT OF CARE CHILDREN IN BC: YOUTH PERSPECTIVE ON THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN FOSTER CARE SYSTEM AND HOMELESSNESS.
Author
Tuyisenge, Jean de Dieu
Term
4. Semester
Publication year
2022
Submitted on
2022-01-03
Pages
77
Abstract
Canada and the Nordic countries are known for universal and generous welfare systems, yet there is ongoing debate about how well they support people’s well-being. This thesis examines young people leaving the foster care system (living with caregivers other than their parents) and explores how their experiences in care are linked to homelessness later in adulthood. Centering the perspectives of these young people, the study focuses on mental health and on psychological and behavioral changes. Prior research indicates that those with foster care experience more often report poor mental health and heightened vulnerability, which can contribute to homelessness. Contributing factors include separation from parents, policy gaps, and insufficient protection for children in care. The goal is to raise awareness of the connection between foster care and homelessness and to highlight the role of mental health. The thesis discusses the effects of homelessness, the stigma associated with it, and offers recommendations for policymakers, social workers, and nonprofit agencies to help prevent homelessness among youth with foster care experience.
Canada og de nordiske lande er kendt for universelle og generøse velfærdssystemer, men der er debat om, hvor godt de faktisk styrker borgernes trivsel. Denne afhandling undersøger unge, der forlader plejefamiliesystemet (pleje uden for hjemmet), og ser på, hvordan oplevelser i pleje hænger sammen med hjemløshed senere i voksenlivet. Med udgangspunkt i de unges egne perspektiver fokuserer studiet på mental sundhed samt psykologiske og adfærdsmæssige ændringer. Tidligere studier peger på, at personer med plejebaggrund oftere oplever dårligere mental sundhed og større sårbarhed, hvilket kan øge risikoen for hjemløshed. Mulige forklaringer omfatter adskillelse fra forældre, utilstrækkelig politik og manglende beskyttelse af børn i systemet. Formålet er at skabe opmærksomhed om forbindelsen mellem pleje og hjemløshed og at fremhæve betydningen af mental trivsel. Afhandlingen drøfter også konsekvenserne af hjemløshed, den stigma der følger med, og giver anbefalinger til beslutningstagere, socialarbejdere og civilsamfundsorganisationer om at forebygge hjemløshed blandt unge med erfaring fra plejefamiliesystemet.
[This apstract has been rewritten with the help of AI based on the project's original abstract]
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