Listening to care leavers: a case study involving 435 care leavers and 100 child protection key stakeholders in 5 States of India

A research study by Udayan Care (Beyond 18: Leaving Child Care Institutions-Supporting Youth Leaving Care, A Study of Aftercare Practices, 2019), in India, reveals that even though, as per the Juvenile laws of India, 'care-experienced' youth (care leavers) are mandated to receive aftercare services to age 21, and in certain cases to 23, the state of affairs for this section of disadvantaged youth needs to evolve. The study is based on a mixed method approach which uses a descriptive design to collect data from 435 care leavers and 84 key informants from five states of India. This paper investigates the emotional difficulties these young adults face when reaching 18 years of age, as they need to leave their care-settings without many options or support. It also highlights the factors causing emotional distress due to gaps in policies, systems and practices in Indian juvenile laws and practice. The focus of policies and stakeholders needs to be directed towards providing reasonable support for the emotional wellbeing of care leavers along with other domains essential for aftercare, including housing, physical health, independent living skills, education and vocational
skills, social support and interpersonal skills, financial independence and career, emotional wellbeing, identity, and legal awareness.