Educational Pathways of Care Leavers in the Transition from Out-Of-Home-Care to Independent Living

The increasing importance of higher levels of formal education and training leads to an extended transition phase to adulthood while care leavers are confronted with the absence of educational support by parents and an early end of youth welfare service in Austria. Against this background the aim of the study was to gain knowledge about the living situation of care leavers after the transition period and about the influence of different social contexts on the educational pathways in and out the child and youth care system. For that purpose a biographical oriented qualitative approach was used, in which narrative interviews with 23 care leavers were combined with network maps. The data analysis followed the procedures of the documentary method.

The results show that some of the care leavers are striving for long-standing educational pathways – despite their disadvantages and sometimes with a delay after the transition period. Educational achievements of care leavers seem to be linked to orientation frameworks which influence their agency and social practice in general. For ensuring equal opportunities there should be given more attention on the development of after care support and specific forms of fundings in Austria what enables care leavers to realize their educational aspirations.