Peru

Böhling V.; Sanchez S.C. · Leaving Care around the World: Policy, Practice, Research, and Youth Participation (2025) · DOI: 10.1093/9780197758847.003.0012

Resumen

In Peru, young people usually leave state care at the age of eighteen. Although there is a legal requirement to prepare young people for leaving care, the government does not provide any funding or social infrastructure. The focus of the preparation is on vocational and educational training, and only a few residential facilities offer targeted and comprehensive preparation that includes gaining full autonomy and access to work, education, healthcare, and housing. The subsequent support structures available to care leavers are predominantly supplied by nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and private residential institutions, with no legally mandated support provided for their transition into adulthood. The government has not implemented any programs to cover housing or living costs, leaving the majority of care leavers to fend for themselves. After leaving care, accessing education is difficult and the majority end up working in the informal labor market, often under precarious conditions. For some years now, empirical interest in the living conditions of children in the protection system has been increasing, but there is little research on leaving care. Children and young people in care have limited opportunities to participate in society or in daily life decisions. However, care leaver networks are being established to provide more support and a voice for children and young people in and after care. © Oxford University Press 2025.