Exploring the impact of multilocal housing arrangements on the well-being of young people in residential youth care

Abstract

Exploring the impact of multilocal housing arrangements on the well-being of young people in residential youth care – A quantitative study

Background: Previous research in the field of child and youth care has overlooked the fact that many young people in residential care may have multiple residences in addition to their placement. As a result, there is a lack of empirical data on the impact of multilocal housing arrangements on young people's well-being.

Research questions: In order to fill this research gap, our study draws on two theoretical frameworks - the Personal Life Theory developed by Carole Smart in 2007 and the perspective of housing as a complex social and educational issue put forward by Miriam Meuth in 2018. The aim of the study is to explore the living arrangements and evaluations of (multiple) residences of young people in residential care and to identify possible factors influencing their well-being. Therefore, we ask what specific living arrangements these young people have, how they evaluate their places of residence, how these places differ for them, and how these housing situations affect their subjective well-being.

Methods: Drawing on a quantitative cross-sectional research design, young people living in residential care facilities in the German-speaking part of Switzerland were invited to participate in an online survey that included innovative scales measuring the participants' housing situation on the activity, physical, and emotional dimensions. Respondents' well-being was assessed using the Personal Well-Being Index (Diener 1984, Cummins & Lau 2005). The final sample consisted of 563 young people from 90 different organizations and 15 cantons. Descriptive statistics, analysis of variance, and multivariate regression were used to answer the research questions.

Results: The results show that only 17 percent of the young people in our sample live exclusively in a residential care facility. 45 percent live in one additional place, and another 38 percent live in two or more additional places (e.g., with parents, relatives, or friends). While the ratings of their places of residence varied significantly by location, residential care facilities were rated lowest on all three emotional, physical, and activity dimensions. All housing dimensions have a significant impact on well-being, with the emotional dimension having the strongest influence.

Conclusions: This study is the first to use a quantitative approach to empirically illustrate Smart and Meuth's arguments. The results show that many young people in residential care do indeed feel attached to multiple places of residence. Although it seems less important in how many places young people live or how long they have lived in one place, the attachment to a place of residence has a significant impact on the well-being of these young people. Therefore, in order to better identify and address the different types of disadvantages faced by young people in residential care, the findings provide valuable suggestions for improving residential care services as a specific place of residence. The conclusion of our presentation will discuss further implications for both theoretical research and practical applications in the field of out-of-home care.