Educational and employment outcomes for young adults with a history of immigration and out of home care in Finland

Background: Several studies document the adverse educational prospects for minors both with immigrant background as well as for minors with out-of-home care history. Few studies have examined the educational and employment outcomes of immigrant background young adults with a history of out-of-home care1 (OHC), which is the aim of our study. Methods: We used Finnish data of larger Nordic research where refugee background minors' prospects in material living conditions and mental health was investigated. Here our study subjects were all subjects born in 1976-1995 abroad and immigrated to Finland as underage persons prior to 2010 (N=20 037), all children with immigrant background born in Finland to foreign born parents (N=3198) and a matched random sample of host population (N=23 187) according to register data 1991-2015. We formed different OHC alumni and non-OHC alumni groups based on parents' and child's birth country information. Logistic regression analysis was used in studying post-compulsory degree completed and being employed where the age at the first OHC and OHC related factors were adjusted. Results: Minors both with refugee and non-refugee background were more likely than native Finns to be placed in OHC. A history of OHC predicted less chance of degrees completed and being employed compared to non-OHC peers in all study groups. Refugee background born abroad having history in OHC had lower educational and employment outcomes as young adults compared to other OHC groups. Education made difference since immigrant background having OHC history and post-compulsory degree had two times higher likelihood of being employed. The first OHC during teenage years decreased odds for post-compulsory education but increased odds for employment. Multiple placements in OHC decreased a youth 's chances of completing degrees and employment.