The contribution of resilience to the 12-month transitional outcomes of care-leavers in South Africa

Abstract: This study intends to contribute to the national and global discourse on young people leaving residential care and the resiliencies that help them overcome challenges. Debate in South Africa on care-leavers thus far, amongst practitioners and researchers alike, has emphasised a lack of preparation for leaving care as well as inadequate after-care support. Without clear legislation that specifically pertains to youth in transition from care, practice is fragmented and optional at best. This has severe consequences for them, who, even in the developed world, are at risk of poor post-care outcomes. In South Africa, their vulnerability is compounded by the environment to which they must return: widespread poverty and inequality, an overloaded education system, high levels of unemployment particularly among youth, a lack of formal housing, stigma and the largest HIV population in the world. Yet despite the challenges they face, many care-leavers demonstrate tremendous resilience by finding strategies to survive and even thrive. The aim of this study was to determine which resilience constructs predict better outcomes for care-leavers as they transition out of care over 12 months. Using a longitudinal, mixed methods approach, both quantitative and qualitative data was obtained from youth exiting Girls and Boys Town, a residential child and youth care centre. Baseline data was collected at the time of their disengagement and follow-up data was gathered again one year later. The baseline interviews measured 19 different areas of resilience within four overarching categories: relationships factors, in-care factors, environmental factors and personal factors. Those resilience measures were then statistically compared with care-leavers outcomes one year later to see which were most important in facilitating improved outcomes. This has inherent value to child and youth care centres, because they can focus their efforts on developing specific resiliencies while youth are in care, which are known to give them the best chance in life after care. Three key sets of results were produced, viz. baseline results, outcome results and prediction results which used the baseline data to predict the outcome data. The data revealed the most powerful resilience predictors for care-leavers at disengagement was having positive role models who were supportive and nurturing, the care-leavers own ability to co-operate well with others, and having a high self-esteem. In order to deepen the findings, narrative data was integrated throughout the results, providing more nuanced insight into the stories of the care-leavers. There is no other known study that uses resilience to predict the outcomes of care-leavers one year after disengagement. This study therefore adds to the resilience discourse by furthering the to-date...D.Litt. et Phil. (Social Work