Female Care Leavers’ Experiences of Transition into, Through, and Out of Residential Care Centres in South Africa

Abstract

Informed by Schlossberg’s transition theory and discourse analysis, this paper investigates the transitional experiences of adolescents who have resided at one residential youth care centre known as the School of Industry in South Africa. Residential youth care centres aim to empower and support youth to cope with social and scholastic challenges. Drawing from the lived experiences of care leavers, the paper interrogates a School of Industry’s delivery of this mandate. The study adopted qualitative methodologies and utilised individual interviews involving ten purposively selected female care leavers aged 21-32. Findings indicate that transition is a complex phenomenon influenced by complicated family dynamics, unpreparedness, and lack of skilled personnel, as well as unsupportive reintegration processes by the schools of industry and referring government departments. The study recommends that families, schools of industry, and government departments work collectively towards improved policy and practice to guide youth care services in South Africa.