Socio-Educational Support Deficits in the Emancipation of Protected Youth in Spain

BACKGROUND: The process of transition to adult life of youth with a record of protection is crucial to overcome the difficulties to achieve an independent life. OBJECTIVE: This research aims to analyze the conditions under which protected youth are emancipated, as well as the factors that facilitate emancipation. METHOD: A qualitative study was performed with three samples: longitudinal follow-ups with youths when they exit the system and during 12 months (N = 24); life stories of youths who have exited the child welfare system at least 2 years ago and a maximum of 5 years ago (N = 22); interviews with professionals conducting their intervention in adolescent protection resources (N = 18). RESULTS: The results indicate that protective action is not enabling youths’ learning in normalized contexts, which negatively affects the conditions under which emancipation occurs. The experience of the protective action conditions the tendency to benefit from the post-majority socio-educational accompaniment. CONCLUSIONS: The importance of socio-educational intervention continuing during the first moments of emancipation, providing professional accompaniment to the entire collective, is highlighted.