Examining narratives of Swedish care-leaving bureaucracy from a lived citizenship perspective: framing the problem in political terms

The transition to young adulthood is a complex process for all young people, but especially those leaving care who are at high risk of social exclusion. The adverse living conditions of young care leavers have been well documented in recent decades and constitute an established point of departure in the political discourse on care leavers, as well as within the international field of leaving care research. This article builds on twelve in-depth interviews with young people aged 17-24 from a Swedish research project on youth transitioning from out-of-home care and their paths to housing, work and education. From the perspectives of care leavers, the processes governing transitions are characterised by rigid managerialism and social administration that fails to address the extensive needs regarding housing, income, education and health as experienced by this group. The article explores leaving care from a lived citizenship perspective, arguing that the lack of responsiveness from the social services, as well as the lack of meaningful long-term interventions capable of addressing the material, psychological, emotional, relational and educational needs of young people leaving care, places this group on the margins of citizenship, unsupported and insufficiently prepared to enter the many trials of emerging adulthood. Det gradvisa intr & auml;det till vuxenlivet & auml;r en komplex process f & ouml;r alla ungdomar, men i synnerhet f & ouml;r ungdomar som l & auml;mnar samh & auml;llsv & aring;rd som ofta saknar ekonomiska resurser och st & ouml;djande sociala n & auml;tverk under denna kr & auml;vande livsperiod, och som d & auml;rmed l & ouml;per en p & aring;taglig risk f & ouml;r social marginalisering. De ogynnsamma livsvillkoren som karakt & auml;riserar denna s & aring;rbara och underprivilegierade grupp & auml;r v & auml;ldokumenterade i b & aring;de svensk och internationell forskning. Artikeln bygger p & aring; tolv djupintervjuer med unga i & aring;ldern 17-24 fr & aring;n ett svenskt forskningsprojekt om unga som l & auml;mnar samh & auml;llsv & aring;rd och deras v & auml;g till bostad, f & ouml;rs & ouml;rjning och utbildning. De intervjuade ungdomarna ber & auml;ttar om & ouml;verg & aring;ngsprocessen fr & auml;mst i termer av erfarenheter av att bli administrerade ut ur systemet och l & auml;mnade utan ett l & aring;ngsiktigt och kvalitativt st & ouml;d; en brist p & aring; information och delaktighet i planeringsprocessen vid avslut; en kamp f & ouml;r att ordna med en fungerande och trygg boendesituation; och en kamp f & ouml;r att ordna med stabil ekonomi. Dessa & ouml;verlappande och sammanfl & auml;tade erfarenheter och processer f & ouml;rs & auml;tter ungdomarna i en m & aring;ngsidig otrygghet som de till stor del beh & ouml;ver hantera p & aring; egen hand. Avsaknaden av ett kvalificerat, relationellt och l & aring;ngsiktigt socialt arbete med denna m & aring;lgrupp leder till en fortsatt h & ouml;g risk f & ouml;r social och ekonomisk marginalisering.