Search

Severo Ochoa Programme for training in research and teaching in the Principality of Asturias, Spain [BP17-58, BP17-77]

Background: This study aimed to adapt and validate a staff version of the PLANEA Independent Life Skills Assessment tools, which were then used to explore the convergence between self-reported and staff views of independent living skills of young people in residential child care in Spain. Method: A sample of 422 care-experienced young people was evaluated by their residential or care workers (n = 219) using the staff version of PLANEA instruments. Psychometric analyses were carried out to study dimensionality and measuring properties of the instruments, while t-tests, Pearson correlations and Fisher’s z were used to study convergence between informants. Results: The results show that the internal structure of the instruments was confirmed for the staff versions (three first-order factors and one second-order factor model for PLANEA-S, unidimensional model for PLANEA-9-S, and two-factor correlated model for PLANEA-T-S). The instruments showed excellent reliability (ω = .80-.97) and discriminative capacity. Staff showed less optimistic views than young people about their independent living skills but not their autonomy to perform everyday life tasks. This was mediated by the role of the adult respondent towards the young person evaluated. Conclusions: As conclusions we can say that the validated staff version of the PLANEA Independent Life Skills Assessment tools expands the scope for assessing this construct in young people in care from a multi-informant perspective. This is key for child protection services to address young people’s individual needs and inform decision-making regarding the provision of support services that will promote a successful transition from care to adulthood for them.

The aim of this study was to develop and validate the PLANEA Independent Life Skills Scale, an instrument created according to the Planea Program framework for training independent living skills in young people in residential care.A sample of 1,098 young people took part, 60% were women and 37% were living in residential child care, with a mean age of 17.69 years ( SD = 2.25). Psychometric analyses were carried out within the frameworks of Classical Test Theory and Item Response Theory models.The new instrument demonstrated three first-order factors (Self-Care and Wellbeing, Daily Arrangements and Organizational Skills, and Employment and Accommodation) and one second-order factor (Independent Life Skills), with excellent test score reliability, including a short version, PLANEA-9 (ω = .86 - .94). Clear evidence was found of validity in relation to other variables, such as general self-efficacy ( r = .519), and discriminative capacity.The PLANEA Independent Life Skills Scale was shown to be a reliable valid instrument for assessing this construct in young people.

The social changes experienced in many countries have prolonged the transition to adult life for young people. That being said, those who leave child care cannot afford this privilege, in that they do not benefit from the same support and resources, having to confront an accelerated transition which exposes them to increased risk of negative outcomes and social exclusion. Moreover, this transition might be even riskier for unaccompanied migrant care leavers, who are four times as vulnerable, given their status as young people in care, as adolescents, as migrants and being unaccompanied. This paper seeks to explore the profiles, needs, and experiences of unaccompanied young migrants in comparison with other care leavers. Data were collected by means of a semi-structured interview to explore their pre-care, in-care, and aftercare experiences. A highly specific profile of unaccompanied young migrants has been revealed that differs from the other care leavers in terms of worse educational, occupational, and economic outcomes, limited support networks, and more obstacles to accessing aftercare supports. Conversely, they also exhibited some strengths, such as having less pre-care, in care, and aftercare traumatic experiences, less psychological distress and fewer risky behaviors compared with other care leavers.