This article examines the experiences of young people in out-of-home care through video vlogs published on YouTube. YouTube is popular among young people as a communication channel where they can use videos to express their opinions and share hobbies or life experiences through diary-like vlogs. The research group consists of Finnish-speaking young people (n = 47) and the study employed narrative analysis as this method is appropriate for exploring video narratives. We identified several key storylines in these young people's vlogs concerning both their experiences before entering out-of-home care and their time within it. Like other young individuals, young people in out-of-home care have hopes and dreams. However, they have also experienced child welfare processes and life outside the home, raising different issues in their stories. In their vlogs, young people talk openly about their experiences, making vlogs an authentic opportunity to see and hear young people's uncensored opinions about out-of-home care. However, the use of vlogs as data in child welfare research is still rare.

TIIVISTELMÄ

Artikkelimme tarkastelee huostaanotettujen nuorten kokemuksia YouTubessa julkaistujen videovlogien välittämänä. Nuorten keskuudessa YouTube on suosittu sosiaalisen median alusta, jossa nuoret julkaisevat videoita ilmaistakseen mielipiteitään tai jakaakseen harrastuksiin tai elämänkokemuksiinsa liittyviä päiväkirjamaisia vlogeja. Tutkimusjoukkomme koostui suomea puhuvista nuorista (n = 47). Videoiden sisältöjä analysoitiin käyttämällä narratiivista analyysia. Tunnistimme aineistosta useita tarinalinjoja, joista ns. päälinjoiksi muodostuivat nuorten kokemukset ennen huostaanottoa ja sekä kokemukset huostaanoton ja sijaishuollon ajalta. Kuten kenellä tahansa nuorella, myös huostaanotetulla nuorella on toiveita ja unelmia. Kuitenkin he ovat myös kokeneet lastensuojelun prosessin ja elämän sijoitettuna kodin ulkopuolelle, mikä on muovannut myös heidän tarinoidensa sisältöjä. Vlogeissaan nuoret puhuvat avoimesti kokemuksistaan, tehden vlogeista autenttisen paikan nähdä ja kuulla nuoren sensuroimattoman mielipiteen sijoituksen ajasta. Videovlogien käyttö lastensuojelututkimuksessa on edelleen hyvin harvinaista.

Open Research

Data Availability Statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author. The data are not publicly available due to privacy or ethical restrictions.

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Volume39, Issue4

July 2025

Pages 780-788

Young People's Experiences of Out-of-Home Care as Conveyed by Video Vlogs

Nuorten Kokemuksia Huostaanotosta Videovlogien välittämänä

ABSTRACT

TIIVISTELMÄ

Open Research

Data Availability Statement

References

References

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Young People's Experiences of Out-of-Home Care as Conveyed by Video Vlogs

Nuorten Kokemuksia Huostaanotosta Videovlogien välittämänä

ABSTRACT

TIIVISTELMÄ

Open Research

Data Availability Statement

References

References

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