HONORING THE VOICES OF YOUTH IN OUT-OF-HOME CARE: INSIGHTS INTO RESTRICTIONS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, AND FUTURE PERSPECTIVES
Abstract
Recent studies focusing on children and youth in care have emphasized the increased challenges that emerged with the restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. There is, however, not enough comprehensive research on how caregivers could have systematically improved the social participation of young people in care. Here we present initial results based on the qualitative part of a joint project, entitled “JuPa”, which focuses on the social participation of young people during and after the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany. Due to the relevance of young people’s voices in research and practice, the project includes participatory methods to involve youth in care systematically. In the qualitative part of JuPa, 40 interviews with youth in care were analyzed. Pandemic-related effects on youth in care, their coping strategies, and their concepts for the future are emphasized. The youth were optimistic about the future despite the impact the COVID-19 pandemic had had on their lives. The described challenges make clear the necessity of implementing youth-friendly children’s rights.
Downloads
Metrics
References
Andresen, S., Schröer, W., & Möller, R. (2024). „Eure Scheißumfrage kommt 3 Jahre zu spät!“ Jugendtheoretische Reflexionen zu Wirkungen und Folgen der COVID-19-Pandemie [“Your shitty survey is three years too late!” Youth theory reflections on the effects and consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic]. Zeitschrift für Pädagogik, 70(1), 216–232. https://doi.org/10.3262/ZPB2401216
Arnett, J. J. (2000). Emerging adulthood. A theory of development from the late teens through the twenties. American Psychologist, 55(5), 469–480. https://doi.org/10.1037//0003-066X.55.5.469
Bouma, H. (2019). Taking the child’s perspective – Exploring children’s needs and participation in the Dutch child protection system [Doctoral dissertation]. University of Groningen.
Calcaterra, V., & Raineri, L. (2017). Young people’s voice: The first visiting advocacy project in Italian residential care for children. Socialiné Teorija, Empirija, Politika Ir Praktika, 15, 44–55. https://doi.org/10.15388/STEPP.2017.15.10808
Clinard, M. B. & Meier, R. F. (2011). Sociology of Deviant Behavior. Wadsworth.
Committee on the Rights of the Child. (2009). General comment No. 12: The right of the child to be heard. https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/671444?ln=en&v=pdf
Committee on the Rights of the Child. (2016). General comment no. 20 (2016) on the implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence. https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/855544?ln=en&v=pdf
Cossar, J., Brandon, M., & Jordan, P. (2016). ‘You’ve got to trust her and she’s got to trust you’: Children’s views on participation in the child protection system. Child & Family Social Work, 21(1), 103–112. https://doi.org/10.1111/cfs.12115
Doove, B. M., Schiffelers, B. A. A. H., Lukkien, C., van Os, J., Feron, F .J. M., & Drukker, M. (2022). Preschool social participation, the impact of early life stress and parental health. Child Care in Practice, 28(4), 653–670. https://doi.org/10.1080/13575279.2021.1901655
Equit, C. (Ed.) (2024). Participation in residential childcare: Safeguarding children’s rights through participation and complaint procedures. Barbara Budrich. https://doi.org/10.3224/84742709
Equit, C., Finckh, A., & Ganterer, J. (2022). Different subcultures in residential groups in Germany: Implications for participation and the vicitimization of children and young people. In C. Equit & J. Purtell (Eds.), Children’s rights to participate in out-of-home care (pp.150–166). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003319368
Feyer, J., Kochskämper, D., Müller, T., Rusack, T., Schilling, C., Schröer, W., Tillmann, A., Weßel, A., & Zinsmeister, J. (2020). Digitalisierung in der stationären Kinder- und Jugendhilfe: Nicht nur in Zeiten der COVID-19-Pandemie [Digitalization in residential child and youth welfare services: Not only in times of the COVID-19 pandemic; Report]. HilPub. https://doi.org/10.18442/145
Galván, A. (2021). Adolescent brain development and contextual influences: A decade in review. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 31(4), 837–1246. https://doi.org/10.1111/jora.12687
Hart, R. A. (1997). Children’s participation: The theory and practice of involving young citizens in community development and environmental care. Earthscan.
Jebaseelan, A. U. S., & Fonceca, C. M. (2021). Transdisciplinary research: A Social work perspective. International Journal of Aquatic Science, 12(2), 549–557.
Jenkel, N., Güneş, S. C., & Schmid, M. (2021). Der erste Lockdown aus der Perspektive von Heimjugendlichen [The first lockdown from the perspective of young people in care homes]. Jugendhilfe, 2, 170–174.
Kabakçı, Ö. F., & Stockton, R. (2022). The pathways to positive outcomes in youth development: Love character strength and parental communication. International Online Journal of Education and Teaching (IOJET), 9(4), 1763–1793.
Kamann, A., Erhart, M., Devine, J., Reiß, F., Napp., A.-K., Simon, A. M., Hurrelmann, K., Schlack, R., Hölling, H., Wieler, L. H., & Ravens-Sieberer, U. (2023). Zwei Jahre Pandemie: Die psychische Gesundheit und Lebensqualität von Kindern und
Jugendlichen – Ergebnisse der COPSY-Längsschnittstudie [Two years of the pandemic: Mental health and quality of life of children and adolescents – Results of the COPSY Longitudinal Study; Research letter]. Deutsches Ärzteblatt, 120, 269–270. https://doi.org/10.3238/arztebl.m2023.0001
Köngeter, S., Mangold, K., & Strahl, B. (2016). Bildung zwischen Heimerziehung und Schule: Ein vergessener Zusammenhang [Education between residential care and school: A forgotten connection]. Beltz Juventa.
Kosher, H., & Ben-Arieh, A. (2023). Youth/Adolescent rights. In F. Maggino (Ed.), Encyclopedia of quality of life and well-being research (pp. 7909–7915). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-17299-1_3303
Kuckartz, U., & Rädiker, S. (2022). Qualitative Inhaltsanalyse. Methoden, Praxis, Computerunterstützung [Qualitative content analysis. Methods, practice, computer support]. Beltz Juventa.
Lazarus, R. S., & Folkman, S. (1984). Stress, appraisal, and coping. Springer.
Luhmann, N. (1997). Die Gesellschaft der Gesellschaft [The society of society]. Suhrkamp Verlag.
Lundy, L. (2007). ‘Voice’ is not enough: Conceptualizing Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. British Educational Research Journal, 33(6), 927−942. https://doi.org/10.1080/01411920701657033
Mann-Feder, V. R. (2018). Where can I mourn? Psychodynamic contributions to working in residential child care. Journal of Social Work Practice, 32(4), 463–476. https://doi.org/10.1080/02650533.2018.1503166
Masten, C. L., Eisenberger, N. I., Borofsky, L. A., McNealy, K., Pfeifer, J. H., & Dapretto, M. (2011). Subgenual anterior cingulate responses to peer rejection: A marker of adolescents’ risk for depression. Development and Psychopathology, 23(1), 283–292. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579410000799
Middel, F., Post, W., López López, M., & Grietens, H. (2020). Participation of children involved in the child protection system: Validation of the Meaningful Participation Assessment Tool (MPAT). Child Indicators Research, 14, 713–735.
https:/doi.org/10.1007/s12187-020-09772-2
Montserrat, C, Garcia-Molsosa, M., Llosada-Gistau, J., & Sitjes-Figueras, R. (2021). The views of children in residential care on the COVID-19 lockdown: Implications for and their well-being and psychosocial intervention. In Child Abuse & Neglect, 120, Article 105182. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2021.105182
Murphy, J. (2020). COVID-19: Survey of residential services in Ireland during the restrictions. Scottish Journal of Residential Child Care, 19(3), 84–91.
Ringrose, J. (2006). A new universal mean girl: Examining the discursive construction and social regulation of a new feminine pathology. Feminism & Psychology, 16(4), 405–424. https://doi.org/10.1177/0959353506068747
Ruck, M. D., Keating, D. P., Saewyc, E. M., Earls, F., & Ben-Arieh, A. (2014). The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child: Its relevance for adolescents. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 26(1), 16–20. https://doi.org/10.1111/jora.12172
Scherr, A. (2017). Integration und Ausgrenzung: Inklusion und Exklusion [Integration and ostracism: Inclusion and exclusion]. In F. Kessl, E. Kruse, S. Stövesand, & W. Thole (Eds.), Soziale Arbeit: Kernthemen und Problemfelder (pp. 34–42). Barbara Budrich.
Schütze, F. (1996). Verlaufskurven des Erleidens als Gegenstand der interpretativen Soziologie [The trajectory of suffering as a subject of interpretative sociology]. In H.-H. Krüger & W. Marotzki (Eds.), Erziehungswissenschaftliche Biographieforschung (pp. 116–157). Springer Fachmedien.
Shier, H. (2001). Pathways to participation: Openings, opportunities and obligations. Children & Society, 15(2), 107–117. https://doi.org/10.1002/chi.617
Skauge, B., Skårstad Storhau, A., & Marthinsen, E. (2021). The what, why and how of child participation: A review of the conceptualization of “child participation” in child welfare. Social Sciences, 10(2), 54. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci10020054
ten Brummelaar, M. D. C., Harder, A. T., Kalverboer, M. E., Post, W. J., & Knorth, E. J. (2018). Participation of youth in decision‐making procedures during residential care: A narrative review. Child & Family Social Work, 23(1), 33–44. https://doi.org/10.1111/cfs.12381
Thomas, E. (2024). The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the daily lives of young people in residential group care. In C. Equit (Ed.), Participation in residential childcare. Safeguarding children’s rights through participation and complaint procedures (pp. 115–138). Barbara Budrich. https://doi.org/10.2307/jj.17207117.8
Thomas, E., & Equit, C. (2024a). “Crisis are looming all around”: Viewpoints of young people in residential group care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Österreichisches Jahrbuch für Soziale Arbeit, 6, 98–116. https://doi.org/10.30424/OEJS2406098
Thomas, E., & Equit, C. (2024b). Soziale Teilhabe auf schmalem Grat: Exklusionsprozesse und Copingstrategien von jungen Menschen in stationären Erziehungshilfen während und nach der Corona-Pandemie in Deutschland [Social participation on a knife-edge: Exclusion processes and coping strategies of young people in residential childcare during and after the Corona pandemic in Germany]. In C. Equit & E. Thomas (Eds)., Partizipation und die Umsetzung von Kinderrechten in stationären und teilstationären Jugendhilfearrangements – internationale Perspektiven und Befunde (Vol. 19; pp.121–138), Neue Praxis.
Tisdall, E. K. M. (2015). Children and young people’s participation: A critical consideration of Article 12. In W. Vandenhole, E. Desmet, E., D. Reynaert, & S. Lembrechts (Eds.), Routledge international handbook of children’s rights studies (pp. 185–200). Routledge International Handbooks. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315769530-13
Toros, K. (2020). A systematic review of children’s participation in child protection decision-making: Tokenistic presence or not? Children & Society, 35(3), 395–411. https://doi.org/10.1111/chso.12418
United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, November 20, 1989, https://www.ohchr.org/en/professionalinterest/pages/crc.aspx
United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), December 13, 2006, https://social.desa.un.org/issues/disability/crpd/convention-on-the-rights-of-persons-with-disabilities-crpd
van Bijleveld, G. G., Dedding, C. W. M., & Bunders-Aelen, J. F. G. (2015). Children’s and young people’s participation within child welfare and child protection services: A state-of-the-art review. Child and Family Social Work, 20(2), 129–138. https://doi.org/10.1111/cfs.12082
Vinnerljung, B., & Hjern, A. (2018). Health care in Europe for children in societal out-of-home-care. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ijsw.12352 , Accessed July 20, 2024.
Authors contributing to the International Journal of Child, Youth and Family Studies agree to release their articles under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 Unported license. This licence allows anyone to share their work (copy, distribute, transmit) and to adapt it for non-commercial purposes provided that appropriate attribution is given, and that in the event of reuse or distribution, the terms of this license are made clear.
Authors retain copyright of their work and grant the journal right of first publication.
Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
Rights Granted After Publication
After publication, authors may reuse portions or the full article without obtaining formal permission for inclusion within their thesis or dissertation.
Permission for these reuses is granted on the following conditions:
- that full acknowledgement is made of the original publication stating the specific material reused [pages, figure numbers, etc.], [Title] by/edited by [Author/editor], [year of publication], reproduced by permission of International Journal of Child, Youth & Family Studies [link to IJCYFS website];
- In the case of joint-authored works, it is the responsibility of the author to obtain permission from co-authors for the work to be reuse/republished;
- that reuse on personal websites and institutional or subject-based repositories includes a link to the work as published in the International Journal of Child, Youth & Family Studies; and that the material is not distributed under any kind of Open Access style licences (e.g. Creative Commons) which may affect the Licence between the author and IJCYFS.
