Study 3 : exploring the long-term outcomes of children in residential out-of-home care

Abstract

This qualitative research explores the lived experience of ten adults aged between 22 and 27 who spent at least four years in institutional residential care in Malta. An interpretative phenomenological analysis of the in-depth interviews generated 12 superordinate themes which explored the participants’ construction of meaning around events prior to admission into care, their life experience whilst in care and the transition into independent living. Results highlight how participants made sense of considerable hardships and suggest that for 9 out of 10 adults, transition to adulthood lacked the necessary emotional, social and financial support and occurred at an earlier age and in a more abrupt manner than for young people of the same age. Discussion of these results generated recommendations in terms of service and policy development.