engleski

Creation of evidence - based strategies for prevention of runaways from residential treatment institutions

Public expert debates directed toward residential care for children and youth with behaviour problems usually highlight the problem of runaways as a current and blazing topic. This has prompted the research teams from Centre for Missing and Exploited Children and University of Zagreb, Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences to conduct two studies on youth runaways from residential care treatment. Through these studies we have tried to understand the phenomenon – prevalence of runaways, process of running away, circumstances during decision making about running away, as well as circumstances during running away from residential care. Also, aims of researches was related to youth perception of running away as well as to which reasons they attribute the decision making for this behaviour. First research, conducted in 2015, covered all correctional institutions in the Republic of Croatia. In total, 201 participants, boys as well as girls, from 14 to 20 years of age participated in the research. The quantitative research approach was used. Second research was conducted during 2017, where qualitative methodology was implemented. Semi – structured interviews were conducted with 15 young people aged from 14 to 18, living in residential care treatment who had at least one episode of running away from residential care. Very concerning results from quantitative study show that 45.8% of young people included in the research ran away from institution at least once, while long-term escapes (over a month) are present in 13.3% of participants. The most common reasons for running away were poor conditions in institutions and the desire to spend time with their family (stated by 30% of participants). Hedonistic and anti-social tendencies were present to a lesser extent. The most dominant profile of youth who runaway (tested through regression analysis) includes follow- ing characteristics: lack of problem solving skills, lack of attachment to the institution and presence of family belonging and meaningful activities with family members. Analysing the qualitative data, we got an insight into reasons why youth decided to run away. Namely, youth were verbalising that their psychosocial needs in residential care were not satisfied (need for family and home, need for society, freedom, entertainment, etc.) and they perceived residential care conditions as unaccept- able. They outlined very small extent of protective factors to prevent them from running away. Some youth emphasized that this experience of escaping from residential care even helped them because they experienced meaningful and interesting life events, re-established their social relations and became aware of their strengths. Based on these results, we created several strategies for the prevention of runaways from residential treatment institutions: (1) protocol on the procedures in case of runaways from social care institutions, which includes responsibilities of every party in the case of runaways because there is no uniformed procedure in children and youth protection system ; (2) guidelines for the professional conversation with youth after they come back in the institution because these conversations are either always the same or are not carried through ; (3) preventive workshops primary directed to strengthening of problem solving skills. These three strategies will be presented in detail since they are directed to the development of better practice, which can meet therapeutic goals and support needs of youth.

runaways, prevention strategies, residential treatment institutions

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