• Korean Journal of Family Social Work
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• no.64
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• pp.131-163
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• 2019

The purpose of this study is to understand the general structure of independent living of adolescents after their termination from the foster care system by using Giorgi research method in order to comprehensively understand how their independent living experiences were. The independent living experiences of foster adolescents was examined from the stage of living in the foster home to the stage of independence from the foster home, taking into consideration the context and time. The results of this study were as follows. Their experiences were divided into six categories such as 'living in a foster home during adolescence', 'life without biological parent's deficiency', 'being forced to leave early without enough preparation', 'struggling alone in the rough world', 'living in desolation without support and guidance', and 'setting the direction and principles correctly'. These results provided a contextual understanding of how preparations were made in the process of independent living and how independent living life was after the termination. This study suggested specific alternatives that can be applied to the independent living support policy and practice field within foster care system.