About the project

The transition from care into adulthood is a difficult step for any young person, but young people leaving care have a high risk of social exclusion, both in terms of material disadvantage and marginalisation.

Professor Mike Stein along with Professor Harriet Ward and Emily Munro from Loughborough University established an international research group (INTRAC) to outline and compare the range of legal and policy frameworks, welfare regimes and innovative practice across 16 countries.

Aims

The study explored:

• the theoretical and conceptual issues that need to be resolved before comparisons can be made between the experiences of care leavers in different societies
• the specific challenges faced by young people as they make the transition to adulthood
• the variations that exist between different groups leaving care.
• the influence of ideological assumptions and historical development on policy and practice to support care leavers
• the availability and comparability of official outcome data
• what can be learnt from the experiences of young people in other societies and how far policies and practice can be transferable to a UK context
• variations in outcomes & current knowledge gaps.

Methods

This project was undertaken through a series of international seminars to review quantitative and qualitative research evidence collated by participating countries. Five research seminars have been held to date.

The group now meets annually. They completed an international edited book in 2010, containing chapters from each of the participating countries and edited by Emily Munro and Professor Mike Stein. Flier for the book. In 2012 a special edition of Child Care in Practice was edited by members of INTRAC. Further publications are avaiilable below.

Professional press

Community Care, 17 February 2011. Research and Evidence: How the care system could be improved

Publications and presentations