'We don't receive information on pupils in care": Beginning to understand care experienced young people's (dis)engagement with physical education

Young people’s (dis)engagement from/with physical education has received considerable attention in recent years. Yet one ‘group’ (care experienced young people), remain ‘hidden’ within the prevailing literature. In... [ view full abstract ]

Young people’s (dis)engagement from/with physical education has received considerable attention in recent years. Yet one ‘group’ (care experienced young people), remain ‘hidden’ within the prevailing literature. In light of the paucity of this research, this novel study aims to provide insights into this challenging and complex arena and seeks to gain some understanding of care experienced young people’s (dis)engagement from/with physical education. In attempting to address the domination of adult voices in the few studies that explore the broader physical culture experiences of care experienced youth, this paper combines data from two studies conducted in 2016. As such, it gives voice to the experiences of 4, male care experienced young people aged 12-17, alongside 5 residential children’s home staff, 5 foster carers and 5 physical education teachers. Data were derived from participatory research methods with the young people and semi-structured interviews with the adults who work with/for them. Drawing from Bourdieu and his notions of field, habitus and capital, the findings suggest that some care experienced young people may be at a pedagogic disadvantaged since they are not as well positioned to access opportunities for learning and participation and develop, maintain and extend those skills and dispositions that are recognised as valued ‘capital’ in physical education. In addition, as a sub-field of physical education, the changing room may act as a space that care experienced young people, due to prior abuse, may view as an obstacle and, as such, choose to engage in opting out strategies. This study calls for further research in this area, exploring care experienced young people’s experiences of physical education and teacher’s understandings, coupled with how teacher’s pedagogic practice might shape (dis)engagement from/with physical education.