The transition of adolescents to adulthood is a period full of changes, as young people are exposed to the greatest risks in practically all areas of life. Young people are a vulnerable group, facing personal, emotional, financial and existential insecurities. During my studies, I became more familiar with the problems of young people, staying in a youth home. I began to wonder how young people, who do not live in primary families, cope with leaving the institution. In my master’s thesis, I pay special attention to the preparation of adolescents for the transition to adulthood. The research sample consists of ten female professionals, employed at Social Work Centres. I collected data with the help of a semi-structured interview. Data shows that young people leave the institution when they reach the age of majority or when the court order expires. One of the main roles of counsellors from the Social Work Centres in cooperation with the institution is the joint preparation of young people to return home or finding the best possible solutions for the adolescents and their parents. In the institution, young people acquire skills for independent living. Adolescents, who finish their stay in the institution and cannot return to their families, receive various forms of assistance from the Social Work Centres. The well-being of young people in a new environment depends on psychological support and a sense of security, the support of the young person’s social network, arranged accommodation and financial security. Young people are more successful in becoming independent if they successfully complete a school and acquire a vocational education. Less successful transition practices result from reluctance to abandon bad habits such as juvenile delinquency, illicit substance abuse, socially maladjusted behaviour, lack of work habits, and the lack of desire to change their lifestyle. At the end of the thesis, I also present some suggestions that could improve the process of the independence of adolescents in the transition to adulthood.
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