Leaving care means the state ceases to have legal responsibility for young people in out-of-home care (alternative accommodation for those that cannot live with their parents) (Cashmore and Mendes 2008). Literature emphasises a gradual transition to adulthood and normative social experiences are necessary to counter adverse outcomes for care-experienced young people. Additionally, developmental and environmental resources are crucial in helping them make a successful transition. However, formal support systems may not always provide these resources. Hence, there is a growing interest in what informal support can offer in aiding care leavers’ access to resources to facilitate a smoother transition. In examining how informal social resources may assist in a gradual transition, an overall conceptual and analytical framework has been developed to explore how social capital and social support interact to access these resources. This presentation considers the value of this conceptual and analytical framework.

The study was conducted in Victoria, Australia, from 2016 to 2019. Eight care leavers and six nominated support people were interviewed. In order to illustrate the benefits of social capital and social support interactions, three case studies are presented to show interactional variation. The case studies exemplify the role of informal social capital and social support in meeting fundamental needs. In conclusion, the presentation discusses the benefits of social capital for young people leaving care and their implications.