10 th July 2012 Social Work Social Development 2012 Conference: Action and Impact, Stockholm Institutional Care in Russia: Improving the Well-Being of Looked After Children Presented by: Doctoral Student Evgenia Chechel Supervised by: Professor Simon Hackett Helen Charnley School of Applied Social Sciences, Durham University, UK Contact Details:

∂ Research Context  In 2010, there were approximately institutionalized children and young people in Russia  Every 100 th child lives in institutional settings in Russia (Philanthropy, 2011) (To compare – in England every 739 th child lives in residential care (Department for Education, 2010 )  In Russia there are institutional units in total designed for child and young people care provision each hosting from 45 up to 500 residents (Philanthropy, 2011)

∂ The Aim of this Study in the Broader Context of Doctoral Research 1. Seek and determine the care leavers’ views and experiences on the key institutional care issues in Russia. 2. Focus on the critical areas and factors indicated by care leavers in my second stage of data collection (participant observation) 3. Propose a set of recommendations aimed at increasing the capacities of institutional care settings in Russian context

∂ Method Survey 45 questionnaires were completed by care leavers who graduated from the Russian institutional care settings and have been living independently for minimum of 1 year. By the time of conducting the survey all the respondents had been members of non-governmental organisation in Russia. Brief overview of respondents: Age range: from 15 to 32 years old Gender: 60% male, 40% female Time spent in care: from 1 to 13 years

∂ Overview of the survey Section One (Close-ended Questions): Profile of Care Leavers (Present Status and Institutional Background) Section Two (Likert-scale Type Questions): 23 Statements about Relationships with Members of Staff and Peers Section Three (Likert-scale Type Questions): 17 Statements about Institutional Experience of Care Leavers Section Four (Open-ended Questions): Critical Factors which Care Leavers Liked and Disliked about Institutional Care Section Five (Open-ended Questions): Pieces of Advice to Children Who Are Still in Care Shared by Care Leavers

∂ Factors Care Leavers Valued in Care

∂ Factors Care Leavers Disliked in Care

∂ Key Points RUSSIAN CONTEXT RUSSIAN CONTEXT: 1. No prior published research with care leavers in the Russian context; 2. These findings show that care leavers have a lot to say. Their voices should be heard. Nobody has been interested in their institutional experiences before. INSTITUTIONAL CONTEXT INSTITUTIONAL CONTEXT: 1.65 % of the care leavers indicated that their time in institutional care was mostly positive. 2.Very structured and hierarchical institutional system which if followed by lack of freedom, monotonous daily routine, control and power by staff; 3.Most of care leavers’ positive experience is related to the social and cultural outings and events, carried out in a different context from which they are usually used to; 4.Group living is a very complex phenomenon which involves bullying, aggression and cruelty by children as well as great support by peers and opportunity to be permanently accommodated together.

∂ Care Leavers’ Advice to Looked After Children In terms of education try to: a) Look for opportunities and ways of self- development; b) Successfully graduate from school; c) Read a lot of books both for your studies and for your leisure time; (‘You have plenty of time for reading in care’ Male care leaver); d) Achieve good results at school and find out what you like to study most. In terms of personal development: a) Find your favourite hobby and spend your free time keeping yourself busy with it; b) Do art. It keeps you from doing stupid things and helps you to let bad things go. In terms of relationships: a) Spend more time with your caregivers and try to maintain contact with them after leaving care; b) Do not allow others to humiliate you; c) Listen to caregivers and behave; d) Pay attention to adults’ pieces of advice and follow them. In terms of behaviour: a) Be aware of what you are saying. It may be used against you; b) Be responsible for your own actions; c) Do not drink alcohol nor take any drugs; d) Keep calm and patient no matter what happens in care. Everything which is happening to you is for the best.

∂ References Department for Education (2000), Children Looked After by Local Authorities, Statistical First Release. London: Department for Education. Philanthropy (2011) Orphans in Russia: problems and solutions. Available at: (accessed: ) ROSSTAT (2011) Federal State Statistics Service. Available at: (accessed: )