Facilitating career development among care leavers: insights from an employment program

Young people who grew up in out-of-home foster or residential care (hereafter care leavers) experience considerable challenges integrating into the labor market. Although several programs designed specifically to enhance care leavers’ employability have emerged in the past decade, most studies in the field utilize quantitative approaches that do not incorporate the voices of care-experienced young people, thus limiting our ability to understand their needs, goals, and expectations as they relate to integrating into the world of work. We examined the perspectives of care leavers who participated in a program meant to improve their employability, in terms of perceived program contributions and factors that facilitated or hindered said contributions. Data were collected from 26 care leavers who participated in the program via individual or group interviews. Thematic analysis revealed several key findings: the program’s role in supporting vocational identity formation, motivating integration into the workforce, and providing both individualized support and peer group affiliation. Despite positive outcomes, some participants reported discrepancies between their expectations and the program’s achievements, particularly in relation to identifying their own career goals. Additionally, the need for more practical, hands-on tools and guidance was highlighted. The study underscores the importance of focusing on vocational identity exploration and consolidation within a relationship-based framework that combines mentoring and peer support. These insights can guide future interventions aimed at improving long-term employment outcomes for care leavers.