Abstract
M.A. (Social Work)
It has been widely reported that after transitioning from care, there is often little support to
ensure that young people transition into independence as smoothly as possible. However,
there is little research showing whether previous experiences of life on the streets have an
impact on the challenges faced in transitioning from care. Understanding this is important as
life in care poses different challenges and opportunities than life in conventional homes.
Children living and working on the streets (CLWOS) are classified as children who are in need
of care and protection, and therefore they may be placed into Child and Youth Care Centres
(CYCCs), which provide care and protection for children and youth. After social work
intervention, CLWOS are usually reunited with their family or considered for alternative care.
If these do not prove to be in the best interest of the child, the child is then placed in care as
a form of tertiary intervention.
This study aimed to explore the resilience of young adult males who have transitioned out of
care, with particular focus on those who have had a history of living on the streets. The study
offers a narrative of the participants’ experiences from their own perspectives. This gave the
participants an opportunity to offer suggestions of interventions that may be useful for other
youth who might be going through similar circumstances.
It was found that most of the participants indicated that they had learned valuable life skills
while in care. The participants revealed that these skills to some extent helped them ease into
transition from care. The different narratives highlighted that the participants’ journeys were
guided by the need for belonging, independence, mastery and generosity. Resilience was
found to have been built through the maintenance of good support systems, whether of
friends, relatives or significant others. The study also gives recommendations for practice and
recommendations for future studies of a similar nature.