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What Does it Mean to be an Adult? Perceptions of Young Men in Residential Care

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Abstract

It is widely accepted that young people residing in residential care transition to independence and adult responsibilities earlier than peers living within their family of origin. There has been a lack of literature examining the way young people in care construct this transition. In response, in-depth qualitative interviews, guided by grounded theory, were conducted with nine young men (M = 15.9 years) residing in an Australian residential care program. The construction of adult identity was aged dependent, and represented by the attainment of self- and other-responsibility and behavioural maturity. Rites or role transitions signifying adult identity were also explored. Program and policy implications are tabled.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Psychology, University of South Australia, North Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia, 5001, Australia

    Ivan Raymond & Karen Heseltine

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  1. Ivan Raymond
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  2. Karen Heseltine
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Correspondence to Ivan Raymond.

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Raymond, I., Heseltine, K. What Does it Mean to be an Adult? Perceptions of Young Men in Residential Care. Child Youth Care Forum 37, 197–208 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10566-008-9053-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10566-008-9053-7

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