Life after Leaving Institutional Care: Independent Living Experience of Orphan Care Leavers of Mumbai, India

Abstract

Transitioning from institutional care to independent living is a complex process for orphan care leavers. Most of them struggle to adapt to independent living for longer periods after leaving institutional care. This study describes those challenges in the Indian context. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 13 orphan care leavers to explore their experiences and perceptions of independent living. Findings showed that orphan care leavers perceive independent living as both opportunity and challenge. Some orphan care leavers felt that after leaving institutional care, they have lived through difficulties at their workplace: while finding accommodation, in household management, and establishing their official identity. However, data suggest that even in adverse circumstances, these orphan young adults have kept hope and have positive aspirations about their lives with a very strong informal network of care leavers as their main source of support. But overall, it was confirmed that social exclusion based on personal and care background is persistent among the orphan care leavers. Therefore, for promoting a better independent living experience initiating changes in the approach to work with care leavers is recommended.

Understanding orphaned young people’s experience of leaving care in India: A qualitative study

“…This paper presents the information gathered on the 'leaving care' phase. A previous article documents the 'life at present' phase (Keshri, 2021). Questions included in the 'leaving care' phase of the interview focused on participants' understanding of care leaving, the reason for leaving care, changes after leaving care, challenges during care leaving, and causes for such challenges.…”

Kurum Bakımı Sonrası Karşılaşılan Sorunlar: Güncel Bir Gözden Geçirme

“…Bakımdan erken ayrılmak genç yetişkinlik yolunda yılmazlık, beceri edinme ve nitelik kazanmaya engel olabilmekte, hazırlıksız ayrılış büyük değişimlerle başa çıkma konusunda zorluklarına yaşanmasına neden olabilmektedir. Aynı zamanda gençlerin ikamet, istihdam, eğitim, arkadaşlık ve yakın ilişkilerde sorunların yanı sıra finans yönetiminde zorluklar yaşamalarına da neden olmaktadır (Hollingworth ve Jackson, 2016) (Dutta, 2017;Jackson, 2002), sosyal destek ağı (Melkman ve Benbenishty, 2018;Refaeli ve ark., 2019;Sulimani-Aidan ve Melkman, 2018), kadına yönelik ayrımcılık (Dutta, 2016;Sulimani-Aidan, 2014;Zeira ve ark., 2014) yükseköğrenime devam edememe (Dutta, 2016;Zeira ve ark., 2014), sosyal dışlanma (Modi ve ark., 2021;Keshri, 2021) ve rehberlik sorunları (Cashmore, 2014;Sulimani-Aidan ve ark., 2013) ayrılış sonrası yaşadıkları yönünde araştırma sonuçları bulunmaktadır.…”