Independence Experiences and Processes in Youth Leaving Residential Care

The purpose of this study is to understand the process of self-reliance of young adults leaving residential institutions. For this purpose, 10 young people were interviewed and analyzed based on grounded theory. The central phenomenon discovered among young people preparing for independence was ‘a society full of difficult and unknown things that demands independence.’ This is embodied in experiencing various difficulties in entering and adapting to the labor market, solving a livelihood, mental health, and relationships not only with oneself but with others. The causal condition appeared as ‘the intersection of vulnerabilities,’ and the contextual conditions were summarized as ‘difficult to support with weak roots.’ The intervening conditions were an environment that was ‘improving but still more shade than sunshine,’ such as poor facility environment, limitations of the self-reliance support system, social gaze and stigma, and expansion of support for young people preparing for self-reliance. While actively coping with this situation in various ways to survive, young people preparing for independence dreamed of ‘community’ rather than ‘self-reliance’ and were looking forward to a mutually beneficial care society. Based on these results, this study proposes to reduce the size of facilities, expand self-help groups and mentoring, strengthen the capacity of workers, and establish a consistent support system regardless of the type of residential institution.