Different Realities in Europe Comparative overview of five countries

1. Different Realities in Europe Comparative overview of five countries Ingrid Höjer, Helena Johansson Department of Social Work, Margreth Hill, Department of Pedagogy, University of Gothenburg

2. Do welfare regimes matter? • Denmark and Sweden: Social democratic • England: Liberal • Spain: Corporative – Strong family orientation • Hungary: transition – between socialist and strong family

3. Educational systems • Basic similarity – universally available compulsory schooling lasts 9 – 12 years • Post compulsory education lasting 1 – 3 years • Little attention to particular needs of children from a public care background

4. Difference in recognition and approach in policy documents • Education on the political agenda in all countries • England: more policy documents specifically focusing on children in care and education • Denmark, Sweden and Spain: Emphasis on equal access to education for everyone • Sweden: emphasis on cooperation with parents of children in care – family oriented services

5. Research in the five countries • Very limited research regarding children and young people in care and education – as well as young people leaving care (Denmark, Hungary, Spain and Sweden) • England – more research – but from a social care perspective – not an educational perspective • Most research concentrated on outcomes of placements • England is the only country (of the five) where detailed statistical information on the educational attainment of children in care is published annually.

6. Types of knowledge base for working with children in care: • Social pedagogy • Denmark, Hungary, Spain • Social work • England, Sweden

7. Children and YP in care (1) The data are more disaggregated a Catalan level than Spanish level. Foster care is mostly kinship care. Other kinds: supported flats, pre-adoption, living at home under legal supervision,)

8. Aspects of ethnicity: • Different approach in the five countries – e.g. in England “race” is always “ticked” – but never in Sweden and Spain • In Hungary – Roma children specifically vulnerable • Unaccompanied asylum seekers • Often high achievers in England • In Sweden – fewer YP with immigrant background in upper sec. educ. and univ. • In Spain – most of them only work

9. General support for YPLC • Denmark: No special attention – but new law focus on importance of education • England: All LA have Leaving Care teams • Hungary: Education as eligibility for after care provision, financial support to buy a home • Spain: No specific policies, except the post-care services in few autonomous communities like Catalonia, Basque Country • Sweden: No specific policies – but slowly increased awareness

10. How to achieve educational goals for YPLC – different approaches • Denmark: More individual support • England: Increased awareness of need for support; avoid disruption of placements, economic support for education • Hungary and Sweden: education as a criterion for staying in care after the age of 18; individual support • Spain: increased awareness of need of support after the age of 18 because of the good outcomes of the post care services.

11. A comparison of policy and legislation • Consistency – regardless of welfare model • Variability of local practices and outcomes • Separate administrative responsibility; • “schooling” – education departments • “care” – welfare departments • Only England has addressed this division – • Is this conceptual compartmentalisation a reason way education for children and young people in care has been a neglected area?