This article reports findings and reflections based on the results of three different research projects conducted between 2008 and 2013 and focusing on the perspective of young care leavers in Spain. The overall aim was to examine these young people's perceptions and evaluations of how they were treated while in the public care system, mainly residential care. Reviewing these qualitative studies, the most common and relevant issues highlighted by young people were related to the following themes: (a) entering care; (b) stability and emotional bonds in care; (c) education; (d) friends; (e) labelling, stigmatization, rights and opportunities; (f) autonomy and responsibility versus overprotection; (g) contact with parents, siblings and extended family; (h) maltreatment in care; and (i) leaving care. One of the main elements used in their assessments was comparison (i) between their previous situation within their birth family and the quality of care experienced in the residential home; and (ii) between what these young people commonly refer to as "normal children" and children in care. Recommendations deriving from their advice and opinions are also debated.
AbstractKinship foster care has experienced significant growth within the Spanish child protection system and now carries considerable weight. Over 40% of children in the public care system are formally fostered by relatives, equalling, and in some areas exceeding, the percentage of those in residential homes. This increase is not the result of a pre‐designed global programme or clearly pre‐established objectives in the system itself. Its current weight within the system has made it the focus of attention of researchers, politicians and protection system practitioners alike. The results of research carried out in Spain have revealed more positives than negatives in this type of fostering, giving rise to an in‐depth reflection on care systems, questioning the determinism of theories anchored in the intergenerational repetition of abuse and making room for perspectives more associated with resilience and children's rights. Positive results are related to fewer breakdowns, more stability, permanency beyond the age of 18, children agreeing with their placement, academic results similar to those with non‐relatives and better results after leaving care. The negatives relate to the lack of economic, educational and psychosocial support, which generally goes with this type of fostering. The experience of support programmes for these placements contributes to the debate.
<p>El procés de presa de decisions en l'àmbit de protecció a la infància comporta sovint molta complexitat. A Catalunya, una de les mesures amb les que compten els Equips d'Atenció a la Infància i Adolescència (EAIA) per donar suport als infants per tal que continuïn convivint amb la seva família d'origen és el Compromís Socioeducatiu (COSE), posat en marxa a partir del seu establiment a la Llei 14/2010 d'Infància. En el present article es presenta una primera avaluació dels aspectes del disseny, del desenvolupament i de l'aplicació tècnica del COSE per tal de fer propostes per millorar, si s'escau, la seva eficàcia. S'ha seguit una metodologia mixta, recollint dades quantitatives i qualitatives a través d'unes anàlisis secundàries de les bases de dades, juntament amb l'ús de qüestionaris i entrevistes a professionals i pares i mares. Els resultats mostren l'increment del seu ús amb el pas dels anys però sense consens sobre la seva eficàcia, evidenciant una gran variabilitat al llarg del territori. S'enumeren recomanacions per avaluar i millorar-ne l'eficàcia en tant que mesura orientada a la superació d'unes situacions de risc. També s'aconsella repensar l'ús de la prestació econòmica, reelaborar el format i redacció del document del COSE, així com compartir coneixement i bones pràctiques entre els EAIA de diferents territoris.</p><p>The decision-making process in the field of child protection often involves a lot of complexity. In Catalonia, one of the measures that the Childhood and Adolescent Attention Teams (EAIA) have in order to support the children to remain with their family of origin is the Socio-educational Agreement (COSE) since the Law 14/2010 on Childhood. This article presents a first evaluation of the aspects of the design, development and technical application of the COSE in order to make proposals to improve, if applicable, its effectiveness. A mixed methodology has been followed, collecting quantitative and qualitative data through secondary analysis of the databases, and also the use of questionnaires and interviews with professionals and parents. The results show an increase in its use over the years but without consensus on its effectiveness, showing great variability throughout the territory. Recommendations are given to evaluate and improve their effectiveness as a measure aimed at overcoming situations of risk, rethinking the use of the economic benefit, re-elaborating their format and writing, and sharing knowledge and good practices among different areas.</p><p> </p>
El bienestar subjetivo es un componente esencial de la calidad de vida. Conocemos muy poco sobre el bienestar subjetivo de los niños y niñas, y menos aún de los adolescentes de colectivos vulnerables como los que están acogidos por el sistema de protección. El objetivo de este trabajo es estudiar cómo influye el sistema de protección en el bienestar subjetivo de los adolescentes que acoge a partir de sus propias percepciones, evaluaciones y satisfacciones. Es un estudio transversal realizado en Cataluña. La población de estudio fueron los adolescentes entre 12 y 14 años acogidos en centro residencial (n=379) y familia extensa (n=219). Se administró el cuestionario International Survey of Children's Well-Being que incluía tres escalas psicométricas: Overall Live Satisfaction (OLS), Students' Life Satisfaction Scale (SLSS) y la Personal Well-Being Index (PWI) utilizadas cómo indicadores de bienestar subjetivo. La mayoría de los adolescentes acogidos en familia extensa están satisfechos con el tipo de acogimiento por solo la mitad de los que están acogidos en centro. Los adolescentes que llevan más tiempo en el mismo tipo de acogimiento, los adolescentes que viven en centros de menor tamaño, así como aquellos adolescentes que manifiestan estar satisfechos con sus acogedores, educadores y compañeros de centro, muestran medias de bienestar subjetivo más altas. Es muy importante tener en cuenta la opinión de los adolescentes acogidos por el sistema de protección si se pretende mejorar su bienestar subjetivo. La estabilidad y el vínculo afectivo con acogedores y educadores es clave en su bienestar.
AbstractThis study involved 608 children and adolescents between 7 and 18 years of age (Mage = 12.9, SDage = 2.70) from 47 residential care centres in Peru (RCC). The objective of the study was to observe the mediating effect of school satisfaction on the relationship between violence by teachers at school and the subjective well‐being of children and adolescents, considering how the low or high support from residential care staff can condition this mediating effect as well. The descriptive results show a very high prevalence of violence inflicted by teachers at school for both children and adolescents in residential care in Peru. Regarding the results obtained from the moderated mediation model results, the school satisfaction domain is observed to have a mediating effect on the relationship between teacher violence and subjective well‐being in children and adolescents. In addition, a moderated mediation effect conditioned by support from residential care staff is seen only in the case of children.
AbstractChildren in residential care are the out‐of‐home population group with the lowest rate of access to postsecondary education. Research aimed at understanding their situation within the school context suggests that besides learning progress and outcomes, subjective experiences should be taken into account. Qualitative research based on a multiple‐case study was designed and carried out in Spain with the aim of deepening the understanding of the individual school experiences of three children in residential care. Each case was analysed from the perspective of the child, the educators and the teachers. Semistructured, one‐to‐one interviews were carried out, and children's files were consulted. The results pointed to emotional distress and accumulated educational delay as common traits of the three children in the study. In shaping each particular school experience, the key themes identified included (1) individual characteristics, (2) the children's academic aspirations and strategies, (3) relationships with peers and teachers, (4) response experienced in school, (5) the complex structure of the residential centre, (6) the sense of belonging to the residential centre, (7) team work and (8) political action and investment in inclusive education.
