Assessing Independent Life Skills of Youth in Child Protection: A Multi-Informant Approach

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to adapt and validate a staff version of the PLANEA Independent Life Skills Assessment tools, which were then used to explore the convergence between self-reported and staff views of independent living skills of youngpeople in residential child care in Spain. Method: A sample of 422 care-experienced young people was evaluated by theirresidential or care workers (n = 219) using the staff version of PLANEA instruments. Psychometric analyses were carried outto study dimensionality and measuring properties of the instruments, while t-tests, Pearson correlations and Fisher’s z wereused to study convergence between informants. Results: The results show that the internal structure of the instruments wasconfirmed for the staff versions (three first-order factors and one second-order factor model for PLANEA-S, unidimensionalmodel for PLANEA-9-S, and two-factor correlated model for PLANEA-T-S). The instruments showed excellent reliability (ω =.80-.97) and discriminative capacity. Staff showed less optimistic views than young people about their independent living skillsbut not their autonomy to perform everyday life tasks. This was mediated by the role of the adult respondent towards the youngperson evaluated. Conclusions: As conclusions we can say that the validated staff version of the PLANEA Independent Life SkillsAssessment tools expands the scope for assessing this construct in young people in care from a multi-informant perspective.This is key for child protection services to address young people’s individual needs and inform decision-making regarding theprovision of support services that will promote a successful transition from care to adulthood for them