Article

Youth in-care face a range of barriers that hinder their career
development, not least of which is the high prevalence of mental health,
emotional and behavioural problems among this population and lack of access to
vocational rehabilitation services. The aim of this article is to provide an
overview of the factors that impede the school-to-work transition of youth
in-care from their perspective and that of the key stakeholders in their lives.
METHOD: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 65 youth in-care, 27
carers, 14 caseworkers and 21 guidance officers in Queensland, Australia.
RESULTS: There is a range of social, psychological and environmental factors that
impact the career development of youth in-care, some of which are unique to this
population. Factors include the effect of placement stability, negative in-care
experiences, negative perceptions about them, limited access to caseworkers, lack
of resources, poor educational planning and lack of vocational guidance and
career exploration. CONCLUSIONS: These findings have a number of implications for
practice, including the need for rehabilitation counsellors to understand and
address the multiple barriers facing youth in-care, to provide vocational
rehabilitation services throughout the school-to-work transition period and to
coordinate support from carers, caseworkers and guidance officers.

Langue : ANGLAIS