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7 Being able to participate and achieve
Achievement is essential to all children and young people. It promotes feelings of pride, and positive self-esteem. Looked after children take exactly the same pride in reaching a goal or becoming good at something as everyone else. However, achievement is very individual and the scale of a child's achievement depends on a number of factors. These factors include the hurdles children have needed to overcome, and the help and support that was available to do so.
We know that achievement contributes to children's well-being in a number of different ways. Gilligan (1998) has suggested that children's experiences at school have deep and long lasting effects on their social and educational development. Rutter (1985) sees being good at something as one of the building blocks of resilience.
Most of the participants in our study welcomed the opportunity to talk about their achievements. Several commented on how rarely they were asked about this. Some found the experience of taking part in this study and the fact that someone else had suggested them as examples of success, had caused them to think about their achievements in a new light. This too had been a boost to their confidence and self-esteem.
Participants told us about:
- finding something they were good at
- the influence of personality
- setting personal goals
- achieving in education
- success in employment
- participating in communities
- participating in new experiences
- promoting achievement and participation
Many of the participants told us about their achievements across a number of these areas.
Finding something you are good at
Discovering a talent for something seemed to be particularly helpful. It improved self-confidence, provided a focus, sometimes gave a special role or place within a care setting and often provided a new social network. Achievement also supported the child to participate in other opportunities. Some participants talked about academic achievement, others about sports and some spoke about particular interests. As Jennifer, aged 18, told us:
I always used to watch out the window at all the kids out playing and never go out and play with them. And it's just through perseverance and encouragement I got more confidence but really the dancing had a lot to do with it. Being good at dancing was a real boost.
Participants also talked about how they learnt a range of skills through their sports and interests. They were then able to transfer skills learned in one setting to another:
My carers got me into karate. They got me all the stuff and came to watch me sometimes. You have to learn to control your temper when you're doing something like that, which I really needed at the time. I made some good pals up there too. (Glenn)
Adults were often a significant influence in supporting children to find things they were good at, but children seemed to need to be active participants in this process for it to work well.
The influence of personality
Although children are clearly dependent on adults to help them be successful, psychologists are increasingly interested in how children play a part in shaping their own development (Schaffer 1998). A major factor in relation to this aspect of children's development is how individual characteristics or personality can affect outcomes.
The influence of personality characteristics in children is complex. Although there is some evidence that individual characteristics can endure throughout children's lives, there are many ways in which such characteristics will be changed by interaction with others at different stages through life:
Personality functioning includes a set of cognitions about ourselves, our relationships, and our interactions with the environment, all of which serve to make up the so-called 'self system' incorporating self-esteem, self-efficacy and social problem-solving skills (Engfer and others, 1994 p.81).
There are differences between individuals, and these will shape both how others react, and how children are influenced by others. In the study, some of the participants described their beliefs and personal strength as helping to build their confidence and resilience:
I'm of the belief that whatever doesn't get you down makes you stronger and makes you the person you are. (Fraser)
At least three participants described themselves as feeling different from those they grew up with:
I don't know, I always felt different somehow, like I wanted more from life. (Carrie)
Two participants spoke of being successful 'despite the system', emphasising their own personality and inner determination, which they felt had helped them survive:
Because I'm very clear, I am who I am because I created it. (Theresa)
Some participants also told us about the sense of achievement they gained by conquering addictions, changing harmful patterns of behaviour such as taking drugs or being involved in crime. Sometimes, becoming resilient and strong meant overcoming fears and obstacles to achievement which demanded real resolve. Colin told us about his experience of living with friends who were misusing drugs:
They were all doing the drugs and they were dealing drugs, it was absolute madness. There were strange guys coming to the house and they were all into it except for me. I think I was too strong minded or maybe I was too scared. I was too scared to even try it. I just decided not to go down that road.
Setting personal goals
Many participants had set themselves personal goals which they had achieved, were in the process of achieving or planned to achieve in their future. For some participants these personal goals were academic. For some, goals were about activities and challenges which they thought they would really enjoy - travel, sports and achieving promotion at work.
Theresa told us about the deprivation she experienced as a child. She is now fulfilling her personal goal to travel the world, something she never thought she would have the confidence to do:
I've been all over the world, though I used to be terrified of flying. By next year I'll have achieved my goal of having every continent stamped on my passport. That's a big achievement for me. I do feel very humble when I'm away because I'm looking back to where I came from.
Others had goals relating to financial security and material success:
I'm going to buy a Lamborghini! (Fraser)
Others talked about satisfying relationships, with a determination to do better for their children than they felt their own parents had been able to do for them.
Achieving in education
Formal education has long been an area where looked after young people, as a group, achieve less well than their peers. In 1999, Scottish Ministers set a target that all young people leaving local authority care should have attained standard grades in English and maths. However statistics from 2004-05 show that only 30% of 16 and 17 year olds leaving care achieved their English and Maths at SCQF level 3 and only 45% of 16 and 17 year olds leaving care had any qualifications at all. Forty per cent of young people eligible for aftercare support progress to further or higher education, training or employment when they leave school (Scottish Executive, 2004).
Of the 32 participants in this study, five were still at school. Of these five, four were in mainstream education at their local school. One disabled boy attended a specialised facility for children with complex needs.
A number of participants had gained nationally recognised qualifications or were working toward them. Five participants were in full-time study at college or university and a further three were in full-time training programmes. A further five had completed university or college courses, gaining qualifications in mechanics, administration, IT and care.
Fraser was 21 when we met with him. He had become looked after because his mother had a drink problem and was unable to care for him:
I was very aware that my mum had a drinking problem ... she was different to other mums.... As a child you pick up on these things.
Fraser moved for a short time to his father's home before he and his sister were placed with foster carers. Fraser stayed with these foster carers through his childhood and adolescence and still has his own room in his carer's house. He is now studying full-time at university, has a part-time job and is in a settled relationship. Fraser told us about his achievements in education:
I was in the top groups in primary school … and then in the standard grades I was in the credit classes for everything … I took five Highers … in sixth year I got made house captain … I liked school in general, school was cool.
In our study we found many such examples of looked after young people achieving well and to their potential.
Success in employment
Employment for many people is a measure of their success. Twelve participants were in full-time employment during the course of the study. Fifteen were in further education or in part-time work. Only five of the 32 participants were unemployed at the time of interview. Of these, two had recently completed courses of study, had gained a qualification and were considering what kind of work they wanted to do. One had just left school and was waiting to hear if she had been successful in gaining a place at college. One had recently relocated to a new area with a partner and had had a number of job interviews. Only one participant had no clear direction regarding future employment although, at the time of interview, he was actively occupied in valuable voluntary work with other young care leavers.
Participants in our study were very proud of their achievements in work:
I joined the army in January and I've done my training and just passed out. I've got loads of qualifications and met lots of good mates. It's amazing. A big achievement because I never thought I would make it. I've done it and I pleased everybody and it's a great feeling. (Mark)
We also found that participants placed a high value on the status of being in work. Being in work made them feel they were ordinary citizens. They told us how work gave them a social network, opportunities for ongoing learning and a sense of pride and achievement, as well as important financial stability and the means to achieve other goals, such as owning a home.
Three participants who were in care related work, spoke of making a conscious decision to support other young people who were vulnerable, using the unique insight gained from their own childhood experiences:
I was determined that I was going to be in a position where I have some influence about the assessed needs of young people - do they have somewhere nice to live, do they have a person that's supporting them, are they going to university or are they not going to university, are they learning to drive or not? …I wanted to be in a job where I could make a difference. I want young people to get the support that I certainly didn't get. (Theresa)
Participating in communities
Ben-Arieh (2002) believes one of the most important areas for developing children's sense of self-esteem is to make a contribution to the community. The value of actively participating in communities was echoed by participants who were involved in voluntary work. These people spoke about the importance to them either of giving something back (for those who felt their experiences in care had been good), or of making things better (for those who regarded their experiences in care as poor).
Gilligan (2001) and Ben-Arieh (2002) suggest that children's participation in community activities is being increasingly recognised as an important dimension of their social development and well-being. Such activities help to build social skills, confidence and self-esteem. Writers on child development have suggested that the way in which people experience pro-social and empathic behaviour towards them in childhood may influence their own behaviour towards others in adulthood (Mussen and others, 1990). Certainly, this last point was one which several participants in the study were keen to stress. They had acquired enough self-esteem through nurturing and achievements to wish to repay the help they had been given by helping others. Their views said a great deal about the positive experiences of parenting that the looked after system had given them. Colin is a volunteer football coach for young people in his local community. He told us:
I like to do something to help everyone else after all the help I've been given.
Natalie was 21 when we talked to her. She had been looked after following her stepfather's violent behaviour towards her. She had a number of foster care placements in different parts of Scotland, and had spent some time living with her grandmother. At the time we met her, Natalie was successfully caring for her young child, and was involved in mentoring other young people. She talked about the benefits this brought her, as well as what she could offer to others:
I do think I've done well myself. I didn't used to but now I do. Being a mentor means I'm helping other people and that's a good feeling - very good.
Participating in new experiences
There were two aspects of new experiences that participants thought were important. The first was that for some, being looked after exposed them to activities and experiences that they would never have had at home because of their disadvantaged circumstances and environments:
My carer took me down to Blackpool. I'd never been to Blackpool before. And I went on holiday to Mull, that was another first. At home we used to go to MacDonald's but that was just with my brother. My mum wouldn't do that, because she had a drug habit. (Ian)
The second aspect of new experiences was that children had experienced a different way of life and relating to others, which opened up possibilities of lifestyles and relationships they had not been able to see before:
The way the staff in the home treated me showed me there was another way to be and that I was a real person and I deserved to have a better life. (Carrie)
For those who had become looked after because of neglect or maltreatment, these new experiences included taking part in the routine, ordinary activities of normal family life:
We used to go to the beach on a Sunday and go swimming and that was good. And then we went camping in the summer holidays and that was a big laugh. Just lots of different things. (Shona)
One participant told us about being given the opportunity to take part in a wide variety of new experiences when he was looked after in a residential unit, and how as a parent he used this experience to benefit his own children:
I played snooker and stuff. There was more to do. Played snooker, played music, records and stuff. Went swimming, went to the park. There was lots of different things to do. At that time everyone was at the BMXing [biking]. Where I came from, no one had ever heard of the BMX! They took us on holiday. I'd never ever been on holiday before. They took me to Spain. I got the school trip to Belgium which I never ever thought I'd get, never be allowed to go if I was at home. You could say it made my whole world bigger. Now I take my own kids to these places, show them stuff so they can learn too. (Colin)
Participants also talked about having the confidence to search out new experiences, and how much this mattered. Having the confidence to explore new experiences happens when children and adults have a sufficient sense of having control, ability to make decisions and trust in oneself.
Promoting achievement and participation
Sometimes, participants told us, the key to promoting a child's talents was an observant and interested adult, who recognised the child's strengths and abilities:
I used to do these drawings all the time, doodles and that. My teacher was always going mental 'cos I was drawing and not doing the work. My key worker got me doing murals on the walls at the home and I did all the bedrooms. Everyone that came in used to say how good it looked and how much did they pay to get it done? I'd like to do a course - drawing, design, that sort of thing. (Thomas)
Some participants told us about the extra efforts that their carers or workers made that made a difference to them. Ross told us he planned to join the armed services. He wanted to do as well as possible in his exams, and his social worker and the school helped him by providing a tutor for him in important subjects. Ross also had the confidence to challenge the threat of losing this valuable support:
The tutoring did help me get better grades…. When my grades came through I was really happy and if I hadn't had the tutoring I might not have done so well. Especially in maths which is my weakest subject. And then we had this big meeting and they weren't sure I was going to be able to get any more and I said "how much pocket money do I get? And she said "why'' and I said "I could save up my pocket money and pay for it myself''… I was just reinforcing the point that for me and my little brother it's been really important and it's been really helpful academically so if you take it away we might not do so well.
For all of their successes, many participants talked about the need for change in the way children are looked after. They wanted those currently being looked after to have the positive experiences they had, but they also thought there were many aspects of being looked after that could be improved. We explore these in the following chapter.
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