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This paper reports on the findings from a New Zealand longitudinal study of outcomes for a group of high risk, service-using youth (13-21 years, n=495). Consistent use of positive youth development practices (PYD) (rather than the total number of services used) predicted better outcomes. Patterns of risk and resilience endured over time. Individual risks undermined outcomes while resilience had a significant positive impact on outcomes. Contextual risks predicted increases in individual risks, but service delivery that adopted PYD practices contributed to reductions in levels of contextual risks over time. Youth with higher individual and contextual risks were less likely to report PYD service experiences. Individual risks were highest for indigenous youth (Māori) at entry to the study, levels which dropped significantly over time. White (Pākehā) youth had the lowest resilience and highest contextual risks over the course of the study. These differential patterns in risks and resilience indicate a need for services to adapt their responses to youth based on ethnicity and overall study findings confirm that when used consistently across service systems PYD-oriented service delivery produces better outcomes for high risk youth., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Social workers around the globe are seeking to better understand the needs of people living with mental health challenges. Drawing on learning from social work practice and support partnerships, this article explores current thinking on recovery processes and the factors that contribute to effective support for people living with mental health challenges. The article presents a framework for practice which is informed by current thinking on recovery and support and draws on the key elements of transformative social work practice. Transformative practice involves support at an individual level and interventions at multiple levels (organisational practices, community contexts, and policy development) to enhance capability and achieve sustained and enduring change. Relational approaches are a cornerstone of transformative practice which promote respectful and trust-based partnerships that enable people living with mental health challenges to create meaning in their lives and receive meaningful support and resources. Central to this practice is critical reflection; social workers reflect on their practice and their role in challenging the systems and practices that prevent people living with mental health challenges from determining their own recovery pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An editorial is presented on rotational practice in working with transitions and challenges for children and young people in the care system. Topics include Policymakers and practitioners around the globe are being challenged to respond to the complex and diverse needs of vulnerable children and young people; and social workers play a key role in promoting practice that effectively responds to the needs of children and young people in care and supports them to experience positive pathways.

The contribution peer relationships make to positive adolescent development is well recognized. Accordingly, peer problem measures typically assess youth with few age‐appropriate peers as having peer problems. Yet, youth facing high levels of personal and/or social adversity may reduce their association with antisocial peers as part of coping or risk mitigation strategies. While such strategies will result in higher scores on peer problem measures, they may also facilitate resilience and constitute a resource social workers can draw on in their work with youth. To test this proposition of peer adaptation as a risk mitigation strategy, mixed‐methods data relating to two groups of youth who were exposed to different levels of adversity were compared on a standardized peer problem measure and a range of risk measures. Qualitative interviews extended this data and explored vulnerable youth perceptions of social withdrawal as a coping strategy. Results from the survey and qualitative data indicated that a subgroup of youth facing high levels of adversity restricted association with antisocial peers to reduce their behavioural risks. However, without adequate support from adults in both formal support systems and youths' social ecologies to compensate for the loss of peer friendships, this strategy did not reduce behavioural risk in the medium term. The social withdrawal strategy also appeared to heighten mental health concerns for these youth. The implications of this finding for the development of policy and practice with vulnerable youth are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article draws on the findings from the qualitative phase of a New Zealand longitudinal study concerning vulnerable young people’s transitions to adulthood, the challenges they faced, their experiences with services and the factors that helped lead to positive outcomes. It reports on the experiences of foster parents and their perspectives on what contributed to meaningful support for these young people. The youth (aged 12 to 17 years at the time of their first interview) had experienced sustained exposure to harm, including abuse, violence, addictions, disengagement from school and mental health issues. They used multiple services (child welfare, juvenile justice, mental health and education support services). The study involved the administration of a survey (n = 593) and qualitative interviews over three years with a sub-sample of young people (n = 107). In the qualitative phase, they were asked to nominate a person whom they trusted to also be interviewed. Twenty-one chose a foster parent. Three thematic clusters emerged from the analysis of the foster parents’ interviews: the challenges in providing care to vulnerable youth; the provision of practical and emotional support; and foster parents becoming an enduring presence in their lives – holding hopes and dreams. The article concludes with a discussion that draws on ecological-transactional approaches and explores the key elements that enable foster parents to become an enduring presence for vulnerable young people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on the qualitative phase of a New Zealand study of young people who had been exposed to "risky" environments from a young age. These young people had experienced traumatic events such as abuse, violence, addictions, mental health issues, and many had been excluded from school. The young people (aged between 13 and 17) were users of multiple services (statutory and nongovernmental services including: child welfare, juvenile justice, remedial education, and mental health services). Qualitative interviews (n = 109) explored young people's experiences in their families, communities, education, and their perspectives on support provided by services and their own support networks. Three thematic clusters emerged as central motifs in young people's experiences and are the focus of this article: navigating "risky" environments; services and support; and, working to find different pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schools are often the only formal service provider for young people living in socio-economically marginalized communities, uniquely positioning school staff to support positive psychosocial outcomes of youth living in adverse contexts. Using data from 2,387 school-going young people [Canada (N = 1,068), New Zealand (N = 591), and South Africa (N = 728)] living in marginalized communities and who participated in the Pathways to Resilience study, this article reviews how student experiences of school staff and school contexts moderated contextual risks and facilitated resilience processes. Findings of these analyses affirm that school staff play an important role in moderating the relationship between resilience resources and community/family risk in both global North and global South contexts. Findings hold important implications for school psychologists, including the need to champion the ways in which teachers can scaffold resilience resources for young people through the quality of the relationships they build with students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports on findings from a mixed-methods New Zealand study of young people’s experience of service use. It focuses on young people’s experiences with mental health services. The youth (aged 13 to 17) were multiple users of statutory and nongovernmental services: mental health, child welfare, juvenile justice, and remedial education. The research explored their life experiences including exposure to harmful events and environments (such as abuse and neglect, violence, and substance abuse) and of particular interest was how services contributed to better outcomes for this vulnerable group of young people. This article explores the components of mental health services that contribute to effective practice. It underlines the key role for services in supporting young people to seek out resources that have the potential to enhance their health and wellbeing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For adults with learning disabilities, becoming a parent can fulfil childhood dreams to take their place in society through a highly valued social role. Recent research aimed at describing the experience of parents with a learning disability suggests that there are barriers to successful planning for both pregnancy and parenthood. However, with the right support, these parents can provide a secure and loving environment for their child. Enabling informed decisions about becoming a parent could increase the number of parents who successfully raise their own child. In this article, stories that highlight the experiences of six parents are used to illustrate issues relevant to informed decision-making, including knowledge of contraception, the development of parenting skills and the importance of social support. Through their contrasting stories, a combination of family support and appropriately responsive services was identified as critical to the development of a positive parenting context. This finding highlights the need for professionals and support people who work with young people with a learning disability to ensure that they educate and support them to make informed decisions about contraception, pregnancy and parenting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Work-based experience assists vulnerable youth to secure full-time work. • Supportive adults are important in employment outcomes for vulnerable youth. • Matching education to specific needs of these youth may assist in work transitions. • Risk behaviors do not appear to undermine chances vulnerable youth will secure work. • Neighborhood and family risks do not undermine employment prospects of these youth. Youth exposed to high levels of adversity during childhood face major challenges in achieving normative milestones such as securing employment. Effective support holds the potential to significantly change the long-term outcomes for these youth, but there is debate about what programme components are most effective in scaffolding these youth into work. This paper presents findings from a mixed-methods longitudinal study that collected survey data for three years followed by qualitative work with a representative subgroup of youth (n = 107) for a further three years. It explores a subset of data to identify factors associated with positive employment outcomes for these youth (aged 12–17 at study entry). A particular concern was to identify factors that were amenable to intervention in order to provide professionals and policy-makers with evidence concerning the most important programme components and policy settings. Factors that made the most difference to the employment outcomes for this ethnically diverse cohort of vulnerable youth were a history of employment, employment-related skills and access to ongoing support. In addition, male gender and older age played a role in these outcomes. Commonly identified risk factors (substance use, offending) did not play a role, neither did ethnicity, family nor neighbourhood characteristics nor individual strengths. The importance of early exposure to workplaces, opportunities to develop employment skills, and access to ongoing support from at least one positive adult, are key factors for programmes supporting the employment transitions of vulnerable youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]