Improving Institutional Care to Enhance Outcomes for Care Leavers in Russia

There is a considerable body of research that associates successful outcomes for care leavers with the skills and experiences they developed while residing in out-of-home care (Courtney, Use of secondary data to understand the experiences of care leavers. In Stein M, Munro E (eds) Young people’s transitions from care to adulthood: international comparisons and perspectives. Jessica Kingsley Publishers, London, p 279–288, 2008; Dixon, Child Fam Soc Work 13:207–217, 2008). In Russia, however, the nature of existing institutional care provision makes it challenging, and in some cases impossible, to ensure good life chances for care leavers. This chapter examines the views of 15 Russian caregivers and 45 Russian care leavers regarding their institutional experiences, and explores a range of critical factors associated with care leavers’ transition to adulthood. This survey-based account explores caregivers’ experiences of looking after children and young people, with a focus on young people’s preparation for independent living. Furthermore, young people’s reflections on how institutional care can be improved are presented.