While supportive relationships are important for probably everyone and while research indicates that supportive relationships contribute towards improved care-leaving outcomes for young people who grew up in care, there is no research that shows their contribution year by year over the first several years out of care. The aim of this study is to…

Background: Young people with intellectual disability experience important transitions as they move towards independent adult living. Transition is supported by self-determination, comprising volition (making conscious choices) and agency (acting with intention). Dialogic interactions that legitimise students' voices potentially promote…

Much research has explored transitions into adulthood for children living in out-of-home care. However, most of these studies are concentrated in Western countries, leaving a gap of information from the Global South. This paper discusses findings from a small-scale qualitative study conducted in Harare, Zimbabwe. Semi-structured interviews with (n…

This paper offers an overview of the current status of individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and developmental disorders (DD) in Oman. A review of demographic and background information about Oman is first presented, followed by an overview of the current status of individuals with autism and developmental disorders, in terms of…

There are an increasing number of young people with a range of life-limiting impairments in our schools, colleges, universities and communities. One of these impairments is Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), a rare, life-limiting genetic muscle-wasting impairment that affects predominantly males. Twenty years ago, most people with DMD did not live…

Objectives: In the process of transition services, the active participation of teachers and parents is an important key to the successful employment and independent living of students with intellectual disabilities after leaving school. Methods: This study adopted a case study method, taking a high school in Taiwan that has a good transition…

Transition services have been proven to be an essential tool in preparing students with disabilities to be ready for adulthood and become esteemed members of society. In western countries, transition services mainly consider a student's needs, are designed within an outcome-oriented process, include a coordinated set of activities, and promote…

Background: People with learning disabilities are moving out of hospitals as part of the Transforming Care programme, although thus far their views on how they have experienced this have not been researched. Materials and Methods: A qualitative design was used to explore how people with learning disabilities experienced moving as part of…

Introduction: This work studies the situation of young people after leaving residential care when they become of age. We have analysed, specifically, one of the most relevant factors for the emancipation: the perception of the social support network. Method: This is a descriptive quantitative study. To this end, a questionnaire (C4) was created…

Increasing the participation of children and young people in matters related to their care and aftercare is regarded as international best practice. While research demonstrates that children and young people benefit from involvement in care-related processes, participation continues to pose challenges for social work practitioners. Studies to date…

Background: This study explores the quality of life (QoL) of individuals with a severe intellectual disability (ID) who had recently moved from an institutional setting (i.e., "residential campus") to independent housing in the community (i.e., "community living") and whether aspects of their QoL were perceived to have changed…

Coyle and Pinkerton identify gaps in the care leaving system in Northern Ireland regarding social work training and meeting the challenges of transitioning from care. The primary focus of this article is to provide a perspective of care and leaving care which could contribute to social work education and practice in these areas. Framed within a…

Background: A major milestone in the transition to adulthood is leaving the parental home, known as "launching." This study explored the experiences of 2 young people with intellectual disability during launching into individual supported living, including the impact of a Western Australian (WA) funding approach. Method: Two case studies…

This study describes the transition towards independent living of 123 former fostered young people reared for long periods in a private French organisation, SOS Children's Villages. Three generations of care leavers were analysed through a postal survey and interviews. Their narratives show typical pathways after leaving care. Two-thirds became…

For too many years the phrase "after care, an after thought" summed up the lack of attention given to preparing young people in care for adult life and to the development of leaving-care and aftercare services. That stance has changed in the United Kingdom, however, and indeed has shifted positively and dramatically over the last decade.…