WORKSHOP LED BY GARCIA MOLSOSA, M., RUIZ ÁLVAREZ, D. & MONTSERRAT BOADA, C.

ABSTRACT
A mentoring project aimed at improving the school-based learning of children in residential care was conducted within the framework of a European Project together with 5 NGOs working in Austria, Croatia, France, Germany and Spain (Erasmus+ 2016-1-ES01-KA201-025021, called Sapere Aude project). Program assessment included pre-post design. In the preliminary phase three stakeholders (teachers, caregivers and children in residential care) were given a questionnaire with the same questions to determine the school experience of adolescents between 12 and 17 years of age in residential care in different domains, such as relationships at school, participation, type of learning activities in the classroom, academic results and satisfaction with school. In the post-test stage, mentors were included after a year of performance with children. The total of questionnaires answered in both phases was 500. Findings showed, on one hand, how evaluations regarding these school matters, expectations for further education and satisfaction with the school domain were significantly higher among adolescents than among teachers, but differences were even more significant when compared to caregivers, who revealed a largely pessimistic outlook, with implications for consequent  practices and policy-making. On the other hand, there were relevant outcomes regarding the mentoring program with shadows and lights to take into account for practitioners and the child protection system.