Transitioning to adulthood from residential childcare during COVID‐19: Experiences of young people with intellectual disabilities and/or autism spectrum disorder in South Africa

Mupaku, Wendy M.; van Breda, Adrian D.; Kelly, Berni

For young people with intellectual disabilities and/or autism, the transition from children's residential care into adulthood during COVID‐19 has been difficult. Opportunities for greater independence were blocked because of the lockdown. Some of these young people experienced an increase in depression or other mental health difficulties. But more time at home due to public health restrictions also helped to deepen the relationship with caregivers. Service continuity is crucial, both in person and online, to support care leavers with intellectual disability and/or autism, as well as training and support to caregivers to continue with independent and interdependent living programmes at home. ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: This study focuses on young people with intellectual disabilities and/or autism who, due to child welfare concerns, have grown up in children's residential care and are now transitioning out of care at the age of 18 years towards young adulthood. This transition is termed “care leaving” and the young people in transition “care leavers”. The care leaving transition can be particularly difficult for young people with intellectual disabilities and/or autism. These challenges can be magnified in a time of a global crisis like COVID‐19, which has resulted in countries being on lockdown and care leavers’ transitions being curtailed. Many mental health problems have emerged due to the COVID‐19 outbreak and resultant lockdown that may negatively impact on the care leaving transition of young people with intellectual disabilities. METHODS: Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with six care leavers with intellectual disabilities and their three caregivers in June 2020 in the Cape Peninsula region of South Africa to explore the impact of COVID‐19 on their transitional journeys. FINDINGS: Three core themes emerged from the analysis: young people evidenced regression of independence, rather than the expected growth in young adult independence, due to disruptions to routines and opportunities to move out into the world; some young people experienced an exacerbation or emergence of mental health problems, which impacted on their transition to young adulthood; and young people and their caregivers experienced a deepening of caregiver relationships, which enhanced the transition of the care leaver. CONCLUSIONS: Services must continue to facilitate progress towards independence and promote personal and caregiver well‐being. Support service for care leavers with intellectual disabilities should be essential services, offered in person or online while adhering to COVID‐19 regulations. Caregivers should be trained in continuing independent and interdependent living programmes for care leavers in their care, supported through in person or online training, mentoring and supervision. Service continuity is recommended to avoid the contraction of young people's social world at a time when it should be opening up.