Going around the long route to get where I want to be
Exploring the university experiences of care leaver students
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 6418540 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Grace Killmer (0009-0003-9832-6681), Linda Chiodo (0000-0003-4966-381X), Carolina Aguirre (0000-0001-9553-3173), Laurie A Chapin (0000-0003-4080-7717), Laurie Chapin, Humberto Oraison (0000-0002-5997-6265), Romana Morda (0000-0001-8101-5287), J B De V Weir, Jarrod Weir, Daniel Loton (0000-0003-4106-0555), Reanna Clark, Mark Danko, Elizabeth Knight (0000-0001-6596-6525), Lizzie Knight, Peter Gill (0000-0001-7772-4849) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 172 |
| Pages | 108270-108270 |
| Publication date | 2025-04-10 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Children and Youth Services Review (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0190-7409 • E-ISSN: 1873-7765 |
| Publisher | Elsevier BV (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.childyouth.2025.108270 |
| OpenAlex | W4409343287 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 43 |
There is an evident, systemic lack of understanding regarding the university success of care leaver students. The few studies in this area indicate that care leavers tend to be highly independent, motivated, and determined to academically succeed, yet also more likely to face compound disadvantage that can impact their participation and completion. The current study sought to better understand the perceived support needs of care leaver university students, with the goal of improving support offerings for future cohorts of care leavers. Semi-structured interviews with seven female care leavers enrolled at an Australian university between 2018–2022 (at time of interview, Mage = 22, enrolled = 5, withdrawn = 2) explored university experiences, perceptions of available supports, enablers and barriers of course completion, as well as recommendations to support future care leaver cohorts. A reflexive thematic analysis revealed participants were required to navigate a university landscape that did not always account for their needs. They reported utilising new relationships and existing internal resources to overcome the unique challenges they encountered. The tension between feeling unable to self-disclose their care leaver status and yet longing to connect with other care leavers presented as a key finding. The findings demonstrated the various supports higher education institutions could introduce such as social opportunities with other care leavers to empower care leaver students in succeeding at university
Medical education · Sociology · Employment and Welfare Studies · Geriatric Care and Nursing Homes · Global Health Workforce Issues · Medicine · Psychology
From dependence to interdependence
Social networks, social capital, social support and academic success in higher education
Resilience and Young People Leaving Care
Independence or Interdependence
Promoting inclusion and equity in education
Participation and exclusion
The Forms of Capital
Strengths-based approaches for quantitative data analysis
Young people's experience of social support during the process of leaving care
One size fits all? What counts as quality practice in (reflexive) thematic analysis
Non-traditional students in tertiary education
Getting behind the closed door of care leavers
Predicting after‐care outcomes
Educational success for children in public care
Needs and availability of support among care‐leavers
Returning to Education after Care
Don't We Deserve a Decent Education?’
Understanding care leavers as youth in society
Narratives of care leavers
Growing up fast
Passports out of poverty
I'm Having a Little Struggle With This, Can You Help Me Out?”
Qualitative inquiry and research design
The neoliberal cascade and education
I remember thinking, why isn't there someone to help me? Why isn't there someone who can help me make sense of what I'm going through
Reflexive Accounts and Accounts of Reflexivity in Qualitative Data Analysis
Care leavers and social capital
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |