| dc.description.abstract | The research commences through a literature review of
the current literature available regarding aftercare in
Ireland. The overall impression from the current literature
identifies a huge gap in literature for a larger scale up to
date study also there is a negative aspect throughout the
literature review of the aftercare system.
The research took a qualitative strategy which involved
semi-structured interviews with five social care workers all
of which are currently working with children in care by
helping and assisting each child through the aftercare
process. The interviewees which consisted of two female
social care workers and three male social care workers, all
had a social care degree and three had a master’s
qualification. Each social care worker had a number of
years work experience working in this field. The results
from the interviews were all thematically analysed.
The results found that from the social care worker
perspective for an effective typical aftercare transition to
work in the favour of the child an appropriate child centred
assessment must first be in place including the necessary
supports and people to achieve an effective transition for
the care leaver. A number of challenges were identified
which care leavers face such as low levels of education
attainment obtained by care leavers, high levels of mental health issues as well as homelessness and addiction
being huge barriers for care leavers all seen by the social
care workers’. Each social care worker where asked their
own options on the aftercare system in Ireland. Many of
the social care workers’ identified EPIC1 and Focus Ireland 8
as positive aspect of the aftercare sector as both
organisation’s provide social support to care leavers and
also numerous studies and research around aftercare in
Ireland. However, the overall view of aftercare is a
negative discouraging outlook from all five social care
workers’.
The research finally concluded with an overall summary
and recommendations including the need for a larger scale
national study including care leavers and social care
workers’ views and experiences of aftercare should be
carried out in Ireland to give a more in-depth analyse of
the aftercare sector at a national level. A significant
amount of funding also needs to be allocated to the
aftercare sector in Ireland to provide more necessary
support and facilities for care leavers. More state funding
should also be allocated to organisations such as EPIC
and Focus Ireland who work with care leavers through a
form of support, both of which have carried out numerous
research and studies around the aftercare sector in
Ireland. The allocation of an aftercare worker needs to be
a paramount and an important part of the aftercare
transition for all care leavers. Finally, that section 45 of the
child care act needs to be reviewed and amended by the
Irish government because of its insufficient support for all care leavers. | |
