Shaping parenting a decade after leaving care: The dynamic of role models, parenting styles, and gender roles

Care leavers face unique challenges when becoming parents. In this study we examined the parenting approaches adopted by care leavers and the formative factors that influenced their parenting styles, applying Baumrind's parenting typology (1966) to this population for the first time and providing insights into care leavers’ parenting journeys. Qualitative interviews with 22 care leavers, 11 male, 11 female, aged 28–31, were conducted a decade after they aged out of care. Thematic analysis yielded two principal themes: (1) Childhood experiences with their own biological parents or with alternative role models, particularly residential care staff, significantly shaped parenting philosophies, with participants having consciously adopted, rejected, or selectively incorporated elements from their parents’ approaches. (2) Participants’ descriptions of their actual parenting practices revealed important patterns in style adoption and gender dynamics. Few participants demonstrated the capacity to employ a flexible approach combining authoritative and permissive aspects. Participants commonly described traditional gender role divisions, men as financial providers and women as primary caregivers, predominated, though some actively contested these conventions. The findings generate a model of parenting approaches which illustrates how early experiences and societal norms influence care leavers’ parenting approaches and gender role conceptions, bearing significant implications for professionals supporting care leavers in their transition to parenthood. The discussion addresses practical applications and directions for future research.