Article
After-school socio-educational services from the perspective of children, adolescents, and professionals
Carme Montserrat, Edgar Iglesias, Pere Soler, Anna Planas, Marta Garcia, Joan Llosada, Gala Lima, Martí Dolz, Alaitz Inchaustegui and Berta Francàs, Liberi, Childhood Research Group, Youth and Community, Universitat de Girona
Project selected in the Social Research Call, 2024
This study analysed after-school socio-educational services, aimed mainly at families facing social risk, drawing on the voices of the children and adolescents who benefit from these services and on their active participation in the research. Framed within the ongoing debate in Catalonia regarding the preventive, protective, compensatory, and inclusive role of these services, the study’s main objectives were to understand how children and adolescents perceive them, to analyse their life satisfaction, and to explore how they contribute to alleviating situations of social risk. A mixed-methods approach was used in which child participation was key. Five groups of experts, comprising 40 children and adolescents aged between 9 and 17, were involved in all phases of the project: from questionnaire design to the interpretation and dissemination of the results at a final conference. Questionnaires were collected from 1,249 children and adolescents and 465 professionals. The results revealed a largely positive assessment of these services, which were regarded as safe, trusting environments that respect diversity and provide socio-educational support. In many cases, they were the only places where children and adolescents could find this support, highlighting the need to maintain them. Participants also expressed a desire to engage in other leisure and sports activities, but economic, social, and cultural barriers hinder access and may lead to their exclusion. Advancing towards universal access to educational leisure is essential.
Key points
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1This is the first study covering all children and adolescents aged between 9 and 17 who attend after-school socio-educational services.
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2Professionals note that these services, attended mainly by children and adolescents living in socioeconomically vulnerable circumstances, are highly beneficial and provide socio-emotional and academic support.
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3Children and adolescents rate these services very positively, feeling happy, listened to, respected, welcomed and safe. They highlight the trusting relationships they build with educators and, above all, the opportunity to talk to them.
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4Life satisfaction among children and adolescents attending these services is high and comparable to that of others in the same age group. Satisfaction with these services is also high, particularly with the educators.
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5Professionals report fairly high job satisfaction (7.9 out of 10), but they should work full-time to facilitate engagement with families, support children and adolescents in attending extracurricular activities, and improve staff stability
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6Nearly half of children and adolescents do not regularly participate in extracurricular or sports activities outside the socio-educational service but would like to do so. According to professionals, the main barrier is financial. These services need to be maintained, and access to other leisure activities should be facilitated.
