Life after institutional care: Implications for research and practice
Abstract
This study sought to investigate the lived experiences of care leavers from institutional care facility in Botswana. The study objectives were to explore the challenges faced by children after leaving the institutional care and to identify services that can be offered to them in preparation for life in a society in general. The study adopted a cross‐sectional qualitative research approach, and data were collected through in‐depth interviews that were qualitatively analysed. Thirty participants was sampled, and there were divided into 2 sections comprising care leavers and key informants who were part of the institutional care staff. They were selected using purposive and snowball sampling methods. The findings confirm that institutional care has both positive and negative effects on care leavers in the sense that it provides children with educational opportunities, family, and strong interrelation skills. Furthermore, the study findings show that during children's stay in the institutional care, they are sometimes neglected by housemothers that affect their transition into mainstream society. Moreover, the study findings reveal that care leavers encounter many challenges ranging from finance management to unemployment, discrimination from the society, and poverty. Lastly, future research, policy direction, and implications are discussed.
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Care leavers have lower rates of post-secondary education, higher rates of unemployment or underemployment, and higher levels of poverty.
“Other work has documented lower rates of post-secondary education, higher rates of unemployment or underemployment, and higher levels of poverty (Berejena Mhongera & Lombard, 2016; Dickens, 2018; Diraditsile & Nyadza, 2018).”
From The relationship between spirituality and resilience and well-being: a study of 529 care leavers from 11 nations. (2023) · cites this paper as Diraditsile & Nyadza, 2018
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- Authors
- Diraditsile, K., & Nyadza, M.
- Affiliations
- Waseda University (JP)
- University of Botswana (BW)
- Corresponding author
- Diraditsile, Kabo
- ORCID
- Diraditsile, Kabo
- Venue
- Child & Family Social Work
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2018-02-09
- Volume
- 23
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 451-457
- ISSN
- 1356-7500 (ISSN-L)
- 1365-2206
- OpenAlex
- W2794176160
- Cited by
- 21
- References
- 21
- Citations by year
- 2025: 7 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 3 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 1
- FWCI
- 3.48
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Child & Family Social Work (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Safety Research › Child Welfare and Adoption
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Homelessness and Social Issues
- Social Sciences › Public Administration › Social Work Education and Practice
- Keywords
- care leavers, institutional care, orphans, lived experience, neglect, social discrimination, unemployment, poverty, financial management, Botswana
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