China, like other countries, is changing its policy and implementation to better support young adults leaving state care. The Chinese and international communities are sharing understanding about good practice in alternative care while children are growing up, particularly by prioritizing long-term family-based support. They are also changing alternative care practices to support children during their childhood and as they reach young adulthood, so that they are prepared emotionally and practically to live independently as adults in the same ways as their peers, away from state control. As yet, opportunities to learn from the Chinese experience have been scarce (Pinkerton, 2011).

Children in state care in China are almost always children whose families cannot be found, either because their family members have died or their families have left them in a public place without any way for the state to find the family. This differs from state care in other countries, where most children in state care are children who have been forcibly removed from their families because of the risk of harm. In the future, this is likely to change as the reasons for children becoming orphaned reduce and the child protection system develops to care for children removed from abuse in their families.

This book reviewed these policy and practice changes in China for the generation of young people who grew up in state care over the last 20 years, when alternative care was beginning to shift away from institutional care and recognize the rights of children and young people to an inclusive childhood and adulthood. It examined whether social inclusion was experienced by that generation of young people leaving care and whether current policies support inclusion for children who are growing up in state care now.

Experiences of young people leaving care

The book explored whether the Chinese government supports these children and young people in state care to achieve social inclusion in their young adulthood and experience their rights to transition towards independent living in the same way as their peers in their communities. It considered this question from the perspective of the young people, looking back on their childhood, their current experiences and their future plans for independence.