For young adults who grow up in foster families or homes, support from child and youth welfare services often ends abruptly when they reach the age of 18. The transition of these ‘care leavers’ towards independence occurs at an earlier age and more quickly than for peers who live with their parents. In addition, foster and institutionalised children receive less material, social and emotional support from their families. International studies have also shown that care leavers are at higher risk of requiring social assistance in adulthood. In Switzerland, there have hardly been any corresponding studies to date.

Mentoring programme and transition website

Against this background, the School of Social Work implemented a project called Transition to Independence: Foster Children Participate, in which it investigated how foster children were prepared for the transition towards independence, how they experienced it, and what kind of support they would have needed. The aim of the project was to involve foster children to a greater extent in the transition process. The project focused on the ideas of former and current foster children, and it collected their experiences and needs in a survey. In addition, a group of former foster children assisted the research team and, in particular, participated in the development of support services. Based on these results, a mentoring programme and the website careleaver.ch were created.