Ready for ‘independence’? Transition biographies of foster care-experienced youth within England and Melbourne

摘要: Policy frames in England and Melbourne rely upon unrealistic understandings of young peoples’ transition experiences. Nebulous conflation ‘youth’ with ‘transition’ insensitively infers a desired state adult independence is an outcome the capacity to follow correct paths. These are consistent political interest individualised decision making competencies people. This particularly relevant ‘care leavers’, whose transitions problematised, rendering their futures ‘risky’, disregarding perspectives. The life stories sample 20 foster care-experienced people were supported through sensory ethnographic principles. The associated methods evoked narratives past experience within care trajectories, tracing self-representations into present, sense independent futures. Participants’ biographies derived from methodological analytical orientation exploring biographical-relational facets transition. Metaphors revealed, shaping development contemporary anthropological frame. This thesis argues for refocus relational context transition, contests significance persistent debates regarding ‘structure’ or ‘agency’ as arbitrators youths’ future. Supporting relatedness crucial when ‘family’ absent, moving forward future requires high degrees affective recalibration.