Young People Leaving State Care in China

by Xiaoyuan Shang, Karen R. Fisher

Overview

In the last 20 years, state care in China has shifted away from institutional care, towards alternative care that recognises children’s rights to an inclusive childhood and adulthood. This book reviews changes in policy and practices that affected the generation of young people who grew up in state care in China during this time. The young people themselves give their perspectives on their childhood, their current experiences and their future plans for independence. These insights, combined with analysis of national state care datasets and policy documents, provide answers to questions about the impact of different types of alternative care on young people’s experiences, the impact on their identity and their capacity to live independently, finding a job, a home and relationships. All countries continue to struggle with how to improve the quality child protection practices and alternatives to group care. The results here provide evidence to researchers, governments and professionals to help to improve social inclusion by changing institutionalisation practices.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781447336693
Publisher:	Bristol University Press
Publication date:	09/01/2017
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	208
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x 0.03(d)

About the Author

Dr Xiaoyuan Shang is a Professor at Beijing Normal University, and Associate Professor, Social Policy Research Centre, UNSW Australia, who conducts research about social security reforms and child welfare and protection in China, focusing on the alleviation of poverty and social services for vulnerable groups including children, older people and people with disabilities. Dr Karen R. Fisher is a Professor at the Social Policy Research Centre, UNSW Australia, researching about disability policy in Australia and China.

Table of Contents

List of tables and figures vii

Glossary and abbreviations ix

Authors xi

Acknowledgements xiii

1 Introduction to leaving state care in China 1

Context of young people Leaving care in China 1

International framework to understand the problem of leaving state care 6

Research approach 10

Profiles of young people in care 13

Structure of the book 15

2 Children in alternative care 17

Children in state care 17

Children with disabilities in state care 18

Alternative care for children in state guardianship 19

Adoption 20

Institutional care provided by state child welfare institutions 24

Family group care 25

Foster care arranged by state child welfare institutions 26

Non-governmental child welfare 28

Summary about alternative care 28

3 Alternative care practices in child welfare institutions 29

Beijing and its districts' child welfare institutions 29

Taiyuan Child Welfare Institution, Shanxi 43

Urumqi Child Welfare Institution, Xinjiang 46

Nanning Welfare Institution, Guangxi 47

Summary of child welfare institution practices 52

4 Leaving care policies 55

Overview of welfare transition policies 55

Beijing 60

Shanxi Province 61

Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region 63

Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region 66

Policy directions to support independence in other cities 67

Summary of policies about transition from care and other orphaned children 68

5 Social inclusion impact of a childhood in state care 71

Positive experiences in childhood 73

Negative experiences in childhood 77

Summary of experiences of support during childhood 82

6 Self-identity of young people leaving state care 85

Formation of identity 85

Who am I? 88

My position in the community? 92

What kind of person do I want to become in the future? 99

How can I become the person that I want to be? 102

Positive identities 107

Conclusion about the identity of young people leaving state care 112

7 Economic security of young people leaving care 115

Policy context for economic independence 116

Becoming adults - three forms of income support 118

Economic independence through paid employment 119

Employed temporarily at the state child welfare institution 122

Unemployed and relying on state child welfare institutions 124

Other options for economic security in order to leave state care 127

Social protection or social exclusion? 128

Conclusion about economic security 131

8 Social networks and the employment of young people leaving care 135

Social network framework 136

Case study of young people Leaving foster care 138

Foster parents as strong ties in job search 141

Welfare institution strong ties in job introduction and employment 143

Acquaintance weak ties in job search 144

Building new weak ties 145

Implications for policies to support young people leaving care 147

Conclusion about social networks and employment 150

9 Housing pathways of young people leaving care 153

Housing and social inclusion 153

Housing systems and housing security for young people 155

Housing policies for young people leaving care 157

Social exclusion and young people's housing security 165

Housing status of young people leaving care 167

Impact of housing constraints on social inclusion 178

Conclusion about housing security 181

10 State support for children in informal care 185

Policy context of informal care 186

Government support for formal and informal alternative care 191

Impact of informal care on social inclusion 193

Challenges of transition for young people leaving informal care 202

Conclusion about informal foster care 204

11 Growing up in institutional family group care 207

Approach to alternative care at the institution 207

Self-identity 211

Characteristics growing up in family group care 215

Challenges of the transition from family group care 222

Conclusion about family group care 228

12 Policy implications for young people leaving care in China 231

Experiences of young people leaving care 231

Policies to support leaving care 234

References 241

Appendix: Characteristics of young people participating in the research 251

Index 257

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"This book provides us with intriguing stories of Chinese orphans in their adulthood. It also offers a telling argument for changing practices to ensure a better future for children in state care." Kinglun Ngok, Centre for Public Administration Research, Sun Yat-Sen University

Editorial Reviews

"This book provides us with intriguing stories of Chinese orphans in their adulthood. It also offers a telling argument for changing practices to ensure a better future for children in state care."

Kinglun Ngok