A study was performed on the adolescents and the workers at the facilities about the plans to support independence for adolescents from residential care facilities. Based on the study results, the plans on the support for the independent living of ado...
A study was performed on the adolescents and the workers at the facilities about the plans to support independence for adolescents from residential care facilities. Based on the study results, the plans on the support for the independent living of adolescents in residential care are provided in the categories of psychological, independence programs, employment, college education, residence, independence settlement cost, social support, and government policy.
First, their level of self-consciousness was higher than normal, however, the value of considering themselves the same as other adolescents, and of their view of the possibility of having a positive future by developing their talent, were low. Adolescents in the residential care feel as if they have been rejected by their parents, which can cause them to have a psychologically negative point of view, which has been proved in many prior studies. Therefore, environments that are similar to other homes should be provided and professional, continuos, and positive up-bringing methods are also required. Adolescents should get enough attention and receive complements to show a positive response in an environment where they can be respected as individuals, in order to give them the opportunity to consider themselves as someone of high value, and as precious human beings.
Their will to be independent was also showed to be higher than normal. As a worker in the independent living facility pointed out, roles and tasks are given to adolescents so they can learn how to solve problems and become independent, and to give them confidence about being independent and a desire to be independent by reducing their tendency to need help and depending on others.
Second, actual independence programs should be provided in the residential care. Most the adolescents in independency living facilities were satisfied with the independence program, however, they pointed out the poor facility condition, and the inconsistency of providing a professional and organized independence program. A worker in the facility pointed out that due to the poor budget for the independence program, adolescents' heteronomous tendency in the facility and the poor independence program in the facility, more time and effort are required to manage the independence program which makes it difficult to continue the program. Therefore, the amount of financial support should be expanded to improve the facility conditions, to continuously provide independence programs, and to expand the operation budget. Since independence requires long-term, continuous, and organized preparation, the facility should develop and manage a professional independence program that is proper for each development stage and characteristics of children. Teens should be involved in the program planning step and should evaluate the program after it is completed. Moreover, local societies, companies and social organizations should participate in developing and managing the programs to arrange professional workers, to support the program budget, and to decrease the prejudice about children and teens in the residential care.
Third, most adolescents wanted to work in the professional jobs after they graduated from the residential care, however, most of them got jobs at offices, and in the technical and service fields, and the reason that they couldn't get the jobs they wanted was because of the lack of techniques and knowledge. Therefore, it is necessary to discover their aptitude early in order to establish their future plan, and it is also necessary to provide job related technique training and support their college tuition by associating with companies and academies.
Fourth, because the biggest difficulty getting into the college was the tuition fee, organized finance supporting system is required so they don't miss the opportunity of education due to the economic condition, for example, the scholarship benefits should be provided firstly to those adolescents by colleges, moreover, companies, scholarship association, and local communities should select them as the scholarship beneficiaries first, and if it is difficult, then, government supported loans should be provided so they don't give up their education. Furthermore, the government should provide colleges incentives so the colleges can provide dormitories for those adolescents during vacations, and the establishment of additional independence supporting facilities near colleges or in areas with high demands should be considered.
Fifth, for the residential support, permanent rental houses should be provided also support for the rent should be expanded. Most adolescents in the residential care prefer to have their own space, such as a permanent rental house or support for rental costs, and therefore, providing the first qualification to adolescents in the residential care for the permanent rental house, supporting enough rental fee, and providing qualifications for buying a house management account should be considered. Furthermore, building independence supporting facilities in areas with high demands should be considered so they can stay in independence supporting facilities until they become economically independent.
Sixth, the independent settlement supporting fee should be increased. The currently provided supporting fee is not enough for house rental, or purchasing house equipment, and therefore, it should be increased, moreover, the minimum should be legalized due to the differing settlement supporting fees in each area and the fee should be provided above the minimum to maintain the balance for each area, and it should be provided for individual needs, for example providing it all at once, or little at a time, moreover, the education regarding how to use the funds and the management after providing the fee should be strictly performed.
Seventh, the association with local societies, social organizations and companies should be enhanced for their employment and social activities and the prejudice towards them should be confronted and eliminated. For them to adjust to the society, companies and local societies should associate for the employment and social activities along with their individual efforts, and the prejudice towards them should be eliminated.
Eighth, the support plans for the facility adolescents, which were suggested during the interview with workers in the residential care, are as follows:
① Medical support
Medical support should be provided for a certain period of time so adolescents who graduate from the residential care can get medical services for their health.
② Increased professionalism of the independence supporting center
It will be necessary to hire more professional workers in the residential care center and to increase the budget. Moreover, the service of the independence support center should be expanded along with the expanded range of adolescents who graduate from the residential care for follow-up management so they can receive systematical service, also the associating and supporting system (with the employment center, social welfare organizations, and company and job training centers) should be enhanced.
③ Resolving the local gap and expanding the financial budget by preparing a specific legal foundation
Just as exists in America, the independent support of local autonomous organizations for residential care should be legalized in the Children Welfare Act in order to resolve the local gap in the budget and to increase the budget for supporting the adolescents from the facility to be independent (Physiological support, college education, employment, residence, settlement cost for independent life, etc).
④ Studying the independence support from the adolescent's aspect and reflecting it in policy
Studies to establish supporting policies for the adolescents should be processed to reflect their situation and facility worker's situation properly, also it should be reflected in government policy so that the study results can actually support their independence.
Ninth, the independence support cannot proceed when only one desire is satisfied. It can only proceed when various conditions are satisfied organically as a whole. In order to establish an organized cooperative system with each government department, the role of the Ministry of Health and Welfare should be expanded and strengthened. The Ministry of Health and Welfare should establish a cooperative relationship with the Ministry of Education (for education), the Ministry of Construction and Transportation (for residence) and the Ministry of Labor (for employment). Moreover, the Ministry of Health and Welfare should direct, manage, supervise, and provide incentives through evaluations to do their role as a central government organization for the welfare of the children and adolescents.