Educational Experiences of Care Leavers from Residential Care in Ghana

Abstract The study aims to explore the experiences of Ghanaian care leavers to discern the factors that promote and impede their educational attainment. Data was collected from 23 care leavers using semi-structured interviews. The interviews were then analyzed using the framework method. The findings suggest that the personal motivation of the care leavers and encouragement from significant adults and peers facilitated their academic success. However, the participants identified stigma, lack of academic support, and the inability to participate in decisions as barriers to their education. Recommendations include training residential care staff to enable them to facilitate the participation of young people in decisions about their education, encouraging and supporting young people in care to aspire for higher education, and developing plans to guide their educational progress.