Social Integration of Young Adults Leaving Institutional Care: Personal Experiences

Abstract

The beginning of an independent life is a challenging time for every young person. Some, however, struggle at the beginning difficult because of release from an institutional environment. The main aim of the paper is to find out to what extent they are able to adapt to the conditions of contemporary society. To achieve the goals, we used a qualitative research design based on intensive contact with the investigated environment. Data obtained from interviews, observations and pedagogical documentation were processed using grounded theory, interpretative phenomenological analysis and narrative analysis. The results obtained confirm the fact that young individuals leaving institutional care facilities are at risk of social exclusion and the possible emergence of negative patterns of behaviour. Respondents identify the lack of follow-up support as a significant problem. The outputs of our research offer incentives for the modification of special pedagogical work in children’s homes, especially when preparing young adults for their transition period.