Driving Outcomes Learning to drive, resilience and young people living in residential care David Berridge

Background Dates back to a previous study of residential homes in England (2011) Practical and theoretical interest Concerns about outcomes for adolescents experiencing State care as well as the quality and purpose of residential care Role of the State as Corporate Parent

A small social experiment Providing driving lessons for a group of adolescents living in residential homes in Bristol Sponsored Online search found no previous studies of this topic Why do we not provide the same opportunities for children in care as we do for our own children? Unusual but interesting initiative, which might also give meaning to some residential homes

Resilience theory (Rutter et al) How to explain the variation in human responses to adversity, including child abuse? ‘...reduced vulnerability to environmental risk experiences, the overcoming of a stress or adversity, or a relatively good outcome despite risk experiences’ (2012) Dynamic rather than fixed

Some key themes in resiliency ‘ Turning points’ Importance of good social relationships Wide range of social roles Heightened self-esteem and self-efficacy Strengthening instrumental and social skills Feeling more in control Ability to plan for the future Limited exposure to risks in controlled circumstances Various critiques but useful field of inquiry Stein, Gilligan et al

Learning to drive initiative Qualitative study Examine process of selection; young people’s perceptions of participating; staff views of impact on young people and their ‘outcomes’; impact of initiative on peer groups and functioning of the residential homes concerned

Sample Six young people, 17+ All left care. Male Individual interviews, also with two Council service managers and three heads of the homes in which the young people had lived at the time Transcribed and analysed using NVivo

Results Only one to date passed driving test. Three others making good progress with driving but finding online theory test a challenge. Practical and cognitive reasons? But overall conclusion that the initiative had been very successful and worthwhile

Two examples ‘Do you know what, actually all I would say is that everything went brilliantly, it really was. I couldn’t think of anything to be improved really at all’ (James) ‘...it was pretty brilliant I think really, there was nothing bad about it’ (Calum)

Impact on young people - personal Personal, instrumental and social Yp liked the positive feedback from instructors Sense of pride – staff went outside to watch Major topic of conversation in the res homes General feeling that self-esteem and self- confidence had benefitted Helped provide a source of motivation about achievement

Instrumental/social benefits Linked to job/career opportunities Yp accessed wide variety of support from staff eg watching training videos, quizzes Strengthened Keyworker relationships ‘Role model’ impact Social inclusion benefits? Symbolism as a widespread adult activity Overcame stigma for a couple of hours a week: both while driving and as a consumer of a service No perceived wider educational benefits No identified disadvantages

Discussion Obviously modest experiment Practical implications eg selection, theory test Consistent with theoretical resilience literature: particularly heightened self- esteem and self-confidence Also closer relationships between young people and staff

Conclusion Unusual project. What other small, social experiments can we undertake without disadvantages? Wouldn’t expect it to be a panacea; but is it of disproportionate benefit? Inexpensive cf costs of residential care Moral obligation to provide in any case? Other examples (sports/ the arts etc - Gilligan)? Part- time jobs; advocacy work for young people in care...

Acknowledgements This initiative and the research were kindly supported by the AA Charitable Trust, British Academy and University of Bristol Initiative Fund.

Further information Article submitted to international journal Project summary: cts/completed/2014/drivingoutcomes/index.html cts/completed/2014/drivingoutcomes/index.html Blog: 9/driving-outcomes/

References Berridge, D. et al (2011) Living in Children’s Residential Homes. DfE – RR201. London: Department for Education Rutter, M. (2012) ‘Resilience as a dynamic concept’, Development and Psychopathology, (24),