The school experience of children in residential care and the role of mentoring. A european multi-source study

Abstract

This Thesis seeks to better understand the factors that shape the school experience of children in residential care and analyse how mentoring programmes can help enhance it. A series of three studies were designed in the context of a European social mentoring pilot project targeted at children in residential care and focused on their education improvement. Results showed that school satisfaction was an important component of the subjective well-being of children in residential care, and satisfactory relationships were highlighted as the strongest predictor of higher school satisfaction levels among these children. On the other hand, the findings indicated that by providing supportive, caring, trusting and steady relationships, mentoring programmes may create an opportunity for promoting the well-being and resilience of children in care as well as their social capital. Mentors also played a specific, unique and supplementary role within the existing network of supportive adults in residential care contexts.