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Building and utilising resilience: The challenges and coping mechanisms of care leavers in Ghana

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  • Frimpong-Manso, Kwabena

Abstract

Each year, some young people leave children's homes or orphanages in Ghana to start life on their own. However, little is known about their challenges and the factors that influence their coping mechanisms. Data were collected through interviews with 23 care leavers and analysed using the framework analysis. The findings show that the care leavers were experiencing challenges with employment, housing, and social integration. Risk factors included having inadequate social and cultural skills and leaving care without employment. The protective factors that influenced the participants' ability to cope with challenges after leaving care were social support and self-reliance. Recommendations for practice and policy include extending services for young people leaving care, having a national campaign to reduce stigma towards care leavers, and ensuring adequate cultural socialisation for children and young people in residential care facilities.

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  • Frimpong-Manso, Kwabena, 2018. "Building and utilising resilience: The challenges and coping mechanisms of care leavers in Ghana," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 52-59.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:87:y:2018:i:c:p:52-59
    DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2018.02.016
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Schwartz Tayri, Talia Meital & Spiro, Shimon E., 2023. "The contribution of replicated follow-up studies to improving transitional housing programs for youths aging out of care in Israel," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 148(C).
    3. Atwool, Nicola, 2020. "Transition from care: Are we continuing to set care leavers up to fail in New Zealand?," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 113(C).
    4. Refaeli, Tehila & Benbenishty, Rami & Zeira, Anat, 2019. "Predictors of life satisfaction among care leavers: A mixed-method longitudinal study," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 146-155.
    5. Abdullah, Alhassan & Ayim, Mary & Bentum, Hajara & Emery, Clifton R., 2021. "Parental poverty, physical neglect and child welfare intervention: Dilemma and constraints of child welfare workers in Ghana," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    6. Itzhaki-Braun, Yael & Sulimani-Aidan, Yafit, 2022. "Determination of life satisfaction among young women care leavers from the Ultraorthodox Jewish community," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).

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