Eager and not ready: Experiences of Manitoba youth ageing out of care

Eager and Not Ready: Experiences of Manitoba Youth Ageing Out of Care is a qualitative phenomenological study from an ecological perspective designed to better understand the experiences of youth ageing out of care in Manitoba. Twelve youth, ranging from six months to eight years from care, were interviewed about their transition experience using 36 profile questions and semi-structured interviews.;The youth identified they were eager to leave the constraints of being in care but were clearly not ready for the hardship of their post-care reality. They identified wanting transition housing and mentoring but were ambivalent about extensions of care. Most relevant, was the desire for more youth involvement in the decision-making process of transitioning from care.;It is concluded that the use of an ecological approach to analyse social policies and practice could focus attention on youth's health and well-being in a gradual supported transition from care.;Four themes emerged from the experience of youth: Transitioning into Poverty, Adapting and Developing, Eager and Not Ready, and What Youth Say They Need. Poverty was identified as the most significant factor affecting youth transitioning from care and had a major impact upon housing stability and transience. Two developmental processes were identified Tasting and Testing, and Moving Forward, and their impact on youth transitions noted. One unexpected finding was the impact of the "internalized CFS experience" upon parenting.