This small-scale study explored plans for four young people leaving care and the perspectives of twelve key adults supporting them. Using Fairclough’s model of critical discourse analysis, the rationale for this research was concern about the difference in outcomes between care leavers and young people in general. Aims were to explore if contradictions in plans and ideas contributed to problems for the young people, and to examine explanations and justifications made by the adult participants. Data were collected by semi-structured interviews from an opportunistic sample. Findings indicated that the established problem of young people having to leave care too early persists in spite of initiatives to prevent this happening. Theories drawn from the psychology of child development influence the professionals’ constructions of the young people, thereby limiting the responses which adults can offer. It is proposed that neoliberal discourses of individual responsibility and continuous self-improvement constrain systems which encourage young people to leave care before they are ready. Two concepts of chop (abrupt change, such as end of school phase) and churn (disruption, such as staff turnover) are used to examine how frequent disturbance in the life of a looked after child is exacerbated by points of rupture which are caused by the structures of children’s services. This study adds to calls for increased stability for young people, and recommends earlier planning for the future of young people in care. Implications for educational practice are presented, including the need to ensure that leaving mainstream education for segregated provision is not an irreversible decision. It is suggested that educators should consider critically the labelling of looked after children as having Special Educational Needs, as this can lead to practices which encourage compliance by young people, and pathologise resistance which could instead be re-framed as self-reliance.

Magister Educationis - MEd / In this paper, I focus on the issue of student perceptions and experiences of a 3rd generation academic development programme in higher education. I set out to explore the issue from two perspectives: firstly from the perspective of the higher education institution’s approach to academic development, namely, a learning skills programme and a first year sociology course, and secondly from the perspective of students’ intentions, expectations and experiences of such a programme. The research questions focused on the learning priorities embedded in the curriculum of a learning skills programme at Monash University, South Africa and the learning experiences of students in this programme.The methodology used in this study includes a case study which focused on the responses of six participants from a number of African countries completing their BA degrees. Semistructured interviews held and the content analysis method was used to analyse the data. The study concludes: that the main priority of the learning skills programme is to prepare students for their university learning rather than to prepare students for the world of work i.e. it falls within Street’s (2004) academic socialization model and that the Learning Skills programme can be seen as an example of Boughey’s (2007) 3rd generation academic development programmes.The study also suggests that there is a need to explore Volbrecht’s (2003) argument on the limitations of discipline-based models of academic development, the need to examine how academic literacy is constructed and how identity and power relations intersect in this construction. It further highlights the importance of the idea of multi-literacies as put forward by Street (2004) and suggests that as practitioners we should include a consideration of these literacies in academic development programmes to improve the quality of students’ learning and meaning making.

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Titel: Vi måste trolla med knäna- Socialsekreterares erfarenheter av eftervård till unga som lämnar dygnsvården Syfte: Syftet med studien var att undersöka vad socialsekreterare anser attsamhällsplacerade unga har för behov i övergången mot ett självständigt vuxenliv, samtderas erfarenheter av de stöd- och hjälpinsatser som erbjuds de unga eftersamhällsplaceringens avslut. Metod: För att besvara studiens syfte och frågeställningar genomfördes tvåfokusgruppsintervjuer på två olika avdelningar inom en Socialtjänst i Sverige. Resultat: Resultatet av studien visade att socialsekreterarna anser att de unga somlämnar dygnsvården har olika förutsättningar och är i stort behov av socialt stöd ochpraktiskt stöd. Resultatet visade även att de eftervårdsinsatser som erbjuds idag intetillgodoser de identifierade behoven. Socialsekreterarna måste således trolla med knänaoch hitta egna lösningar. Diskussion: Samhället har ett stort ansvar för de placerade barnen även efter avslutadplacering och därför behöver lagen kring eftervård bli tydligare. / Title: Leaving social care in Sweden- Social workers experiences of working with young care leavers Aim: The study aims at examining what social workers consider necessary for youngcare leavers during their transition to adulthood, together with social workers experiences of working with aftercare. Method: To achieve the aim of the study, two focus group interviews were conductedwith social workers from two different sections of social services in one municipality in Sweden. Results: The result showed that according to the social workers, the young care leaversare a vulnerable group and in need of social and practical support. The study alsoshowed that the existing aftercare policies and services offered to care leavers does notmeet the identified needs. The social workers cannot therefore provide for the needs ofthe care leavers thus being forced to make things work out of the impossible. Discussion: The social services within municipalities are solely responsible for care andaftercare of the out of home placed children and youth. Therefore, there is need fordistinct policies and guidelines on aftercare.

No description available.

This study explored the current practices implemented by Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) caregivers / preschool teachers in Swaziland. It further investigated how the lack of an appropriate policy on Early Childhood Care and Development impacted on the delivery of services to the sector. The research was conducted using a qualitative methodology, eliciting responses through semistructured interview schedules. In order to conduct a more in-depth analysis, eight interviews were held at various early childhood care and development sites. The criteria for selection depended on whether the participating caregiver had direct, hands-on experience of the day-to-day care and running of ECCD sites. They also had to be involved in a full-time preschool teaching programme and were purposively selected from the geographical location of Manzini, in Swaziland. The sites could be distinguished into three categories, namely: community (non-profit making), private and church or missionrun centres. The results showed that caregivers implemented diverse and uncoordinated practices and that there was no uniformity in terms of professional training, classroom practice and curriculum application. It was evident that the participants did not link the theory of their training to their practice, leaving gaps in the provision of services and educational programmes to the children. The study concluded that unless the government of Swaziland and the ECCD unit at the national level of Education made a concerted effort to formulate a national ECCD policy, Education for All would remain a pipedream. The study recommended that government should formulate national ECCD policy guidelines to encourage uniformity in practice and provision of ECCD sites. Not only should government accelerate the development of the guidelines but they should also support the caregivers by continuous professional development activities.

Le présent mémoire explore les liens entre les différents types de capitaux (social, familial, délinquant et individuel) et certains actes déviants, soit la consommation de substances psychotropes et l’implication criminelle violente chez un groupe de décrocheurs scolaires canadiens. Dans un premier temps, il s’agit d’établir la prévalence et les habitudes de consommation de cette population aliénée du système éducatif. De plus, cette étude concerne l’implication criminelle violente des décrocheurs. Plus précisément, il s’agit de déterminer la fréquence des manifestations agressives et les types de violence perpétrés par ces jeunes, ainsi que d’examiner les liens qui se tissent entre la consommation de substances psychotropes et la commission d’actes violents. Ensuite, il est question d’étudier l’impact des différents capitaux (social, familial, délinquant et individuel) sur la consommation de substances psychoactives et l’implication criminelle violente des décrocheurs. En outre, dans une perspective davantage clinique, le dernier objectif aura pour but d’identifier différentes typologies de décrocheurs scolaires. Les analyses s’appuient sur un échantillon de 339 jeunes décrocheurs scolaires de Montréal et Toronto. Les informations amassées par rapport à l’usage de substances psychotropes et la commission d’actes violents concernent les douze mois qui ont précédé la passation du questionnaire. Succinctement, les taux de prévalence de consommation des décrocheurs apparaissent plus importants que ceux de la population estudiantine, leur usage est plus inquiétant de même que l’auto-évaluation de leur dépendance. Les résultats révèlent également une implication criminelle violente importante, surtout chez les garçons et les consommateurs de substances psychotropes. Qui plus est, le capital délinquant semble avoir un impact majeur sur l’usage d’alcool et de drogues de même que sur les manifestations de violence perpétrées par les décrocheurs. Enfin, trois typologies de décrocheurs scolaires ont été identifiées, soit les invisibles, les détachés et les rebelles. / This paper explores the links between different types of capital (social, familial, criminal and individual) and some deviant acts, consumption of psychotropic drugs and violent criminal involvement among Canadian school drop-outs. In first place, the prevalence and habits of alcohol and drug consumption of this population alienated from the education system will be established. Moreover, this study concerns violence involvement of school drop-outs. More specifically, in determining the frequency of aggressive events and types of violence perpetrated by these young people, and to examine the relationships between the use of psychotropic substances and the commission of violent acts. Then, there is the impact of various capitals (social, familial, criminal and individual) on the consumption of psychoactive substances and violent criminal involvement of school drop-outs. In a more clinical perspective, the last goal will be to identify different types of school drop-outs. This analysis is based on a sample of 339 young school leavers in Montreal and Toronto. The information collected in relation to the use of psychotropic substances and the commission of violent acts involve the twelve months preceding the award of the questionnaire. Briefly, the prevalence of consumption of drop-outs is more important than the student population; their use is even more disturbing as well as the self-assessment of their dependency. The results also show a significant violent criminal involvement, especially among boys and consumers of psychotropic substances. Moreover, the criminal capital appears to have a major impact on the use of alcohol and drugs as well as the manifestations of violence perpetrated by drop-outs. Finally, three types of school dropouts have been identified: the invisible, the detached and the rebels.

Ein Vierteljahrhundert nach der Wiedervereinigung Deutschlands gibt es zwischen Ost- und Westdeutschland nach wie vor differierende Anteile von Personen, die eine schulische Hochschulzugangsberechtigung erlangen und diese anschließend durch den Übergang an eine Hochschule einlösen. Mittels eines selbst entwickelten Modells, das sich an die soziologische Wert-Erwartungs-Theorie von Erikson & Jonsson sowie den lebensverlaufstheoretischen Ansatz von Mayer anlehnt, werden verschiedene individuelle und kontextuelle Einflussfaktoren der Studienentscheidung erstmals in einem Kohortenvergleich seit 1990 betrachtet. Neben der Schwelle Hochschulzugang werden zudem erstmals die Bildungsverläufe von zwei Studienberechtigtenkohorten in ihrer Gesamtheit, also unter Berücksichtigung von Fortbildung, Erwerbs- und Familienverläufen über einen Zeitraum von zehneinhalb Jahren vergleichend in den Blick genommen und mittels Sequenzmusteranalysen jeweils typische Verlaufsmuster für ost- und westdeutsche Studienberechtigte ermittelt. Zur Untersuchung der zentralen Forschungsfrage nach Konvergenzen, Divergenzen und dauerhaften Unterschieden in den individuellen und kontextuellen Einflussfaktoren der Studienentscheidung sowie den nachschulischen Bildungsverläufen seit 1990 in Ost- und Westdeutschland werden Daten der DZHW-Studienberechtigtenpanel 1990, 1994, 1999, 2002 und 2006 verwendet. Zusammenfassend werden zahlreiche Konvergenzen und Gemeinsamkeiten identifiziert, insbesondere bei den individuellen Einflussfaktoren für eine Studienentscheidung. Charakteristische Ost-West-Unterschiede zeigen sich u.a. bei der Bedeutung der bisherigen Bildungsbiografie und der antizipierten Studienkosten für die Studienentscheidung sowie der Hochschulentfernung. Die nachschulischen Bildungs- und Lebensverläufe weisen bereits bei der Kohorte 1990 erhebliche Gemeinsamkeiten auf. Bei der Kohorte 1999 haben sich neue Unterschiede bei der Bedeutung von Arbeitslosigkeit und Familientätigkeit herausgebildet. / A quarter of a century has passed since the reunification of Germany. The proportion of young people who acquire a university entrance qualification and those who attend university subsequently differ in part considerably between East and West Germany. This survey examines different individual and contextual factors, which influence the decision to attend university, for the first time by contrasting cohorts since 1990, using a specifically developed model, which closely follows the rational choice model by Erikson & Jonsson and the life-course theory approach by Mayer. The transition to a university is one threshold in the complete educational after-school career. Therefore, the educational careers of two cohorts entitled to study are for the first time examined as a whole, regarding further training, as well as occupational trajectories and family development over a period of ten and a half years after schooldays; by means of sequence pattern analyses, typical sequential patterns of school leavers from East and respectively West Germany are identified. For the examination of the central research question concerning convergences, divergences and permanent differences with regard to the individual and contextual factors, which have influenced study decisions and after-school educational careers since 1990 in East and West Germany, this investigation uses data from the DZHW panels about persons entitled to study from 1990, 1994, 1999, 2002, and 2006. To sum up, numerous convergences and commonalities can be identified, especially regarding the individual factors, which influence the decision to attend university. But typical East-West differences appear with regard to the importance of the previous educational career and the anticipated costs to study, but also the distance of university. The after-school educational and life courses have already many common features in the cohort from 1990. New differences have developed in the cohort from 1999.

Le présent mémoire explore les liens entre les différents types de capitaux (social, familial, délinquant et individuel) et certains actes déviants, soit la consommation de substances psychotropes et l’implication criminelle violente chez un groupe de décrocheurs scolaires canadiens. Dans un premier temps, il s’agit d’établir la prévalence et les habitudes de consommation de cette population aliénée du système éducatif. De plus, cette étude concerne l’implication criminelle violente des décrocheurs. Plus précisément, il s’agit de déterminer la fréquence des manifestations agressives et les types de violence perpétrés par ces jeunes, ainsi que d’examiner les liens qui se tissent entre la consommation de substances psychotropes et la commission d’actes violents. Ensuite, il est question d’étudier l’impact des différents capitaux (social, familial, délinquant et individuel) sur la consommation de substances psychoactives et l’implication criminelle violente des décrocheurs. En outre, dans une perspective davantage clinique, le dernier objectif aura pour but d’identifier différentes typologies de décrocheurs scolaires. Les analyses s’appuient sur un échantillon de 339 jeunes décrocheurs scolaires de Montréal et Toronto. Les informations amassées par rapport à l’usage de substances psychotropes et la commission d’actes violents concernent les douze mois qui ont précédé la passation du questionnaire. Succinctement, les taux de prévalence de consommation des décrocheurs apparaissent plus importants que ceux de la population estudiantine, leur usage est plus inquiétant de même que l’auto-évaluation de leur dépendance. Les résultats révèlent également une implication criminelle violente importante, surtout chez les garçons et les consommateurs de substances psychotropes. Qui plus est, le capital délinquant semble avoir un impact majeur sur l’usage d’alcool et de drogues de même que sur les manifestations de violence perpétrées par les décrocheurs. Enfin, trois typologies de décrocheurs scolaires ont été identifiées, soit les invisibles, les détachés et les rebelles. / This paper explores the links between different types of capital (social, familial, criminal and individual) and some deviant acts, consumption of psychotropic drugs and violent criminal involvement among Canadian school drop-outs. In first place, the prevalence and habits of alcohol and drug consumption of this population alienated from the education system will be established. Moreover, this study concerns violence involvement of school drop-outs. More specifically, in determining the frequency of aggressive events and types of violence perpetrated by these young people, and to examine the relationships between the use of psychotropic substances and the commission of violent acts. Then, there is the impact of various capitals (social, familial, criminal and individual) on the consumption of psychoactive substances and violent criminal involvement of school drop-outs. In a more clinical perspective, the last goal will be to identify different types of school drop-outs. This analysis is based on a sample of 339 young school leavers in Montreal and Toronto. The information collected in relation to the use of psychotropic substances and the commission of violent acts involve the twelve months preceding the award of the questionnaire. Briefly, the prevalence of consumption of drop-outs is more important than the student population; their use is even more disturbing as well as the self-assessment of their dependency. The results also show a significant violent criminal involvement, especially among boys and consumers of psychotropic substances. Moreover, the criminal capital appears to have a major impact on the use of alcohol and drugs as well as the manifestations of violence perpetrated by drop-outs. Finally, three types of school dropouts have been identified: the invisible, the detached and the rebels.

In research, the transition from foster care to adult life has been pointed out as a significant and problematic period in young people´s lives. However, we know less about how this transition is handled professionally. Through qualitative interviews, this study examines social worker´s views and experiences of this transition process. The research questions focus on what needs social workers see in young people´s transition, how they describe their own work, and what strategies and tools that may promote the transition. The results are analyzed using the following theoretical concepts – discretion, emotional support, informative support,instrumental support and evaluative support. The study shows that young people need long-term relationships, certain practical skills and each type of support. Work with the transition is based on these needs. Here, social workers have an exploratory and coordination role thatconsists of many tasks. While they describe some specific strategies and tools, the results show that there are difficulties within this work. The roles of foster carers and social workers in young people´s transition to adulthood are discussed.