Systemic Realignment and Socioeconomic Support as Predictors of Sustainable Independent Living Among Care Leavers in Supported Independent Living Programs, Nairobi County, Kenya

Care leavers exiting institutional care face persistent challenges in achieving sustainable independent living, including unemployment, housing instability, weak social integration, and inadequate psychosocial support, despite Kenya's National Care Reform Strategy (2022–2032) promoting Supported Independent Living (SIL) as an alternative care pathway. This study examined the influence of systemic realignment and socioeconomic support on sustainable independent living among care leavers in SIL programs at the Child Welfare Society of Kenya (CWSK), Nairobi County. A descriptive cross-sectional mixed-methods design was employed, combining a quantitative survey of care leavers with qualitative key informant interviews with programme facilitators. Using Slovin's formula, a target sample of 109 care leavers was calculated from a population of 150; 89 valid responses were obtained (81.6% response rate), together with 10 completed facilitator interviews (100%). Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS through descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression; qualitative data were analyzed thematically. Policy and institutional alignment, inter-agency coordination, programme design and responsiveness, and socioeconomic support each correlated positively with their corresponding independent living outcome (r = 0.399–0.610, p < .05), and jointly explained 26.6% of the variance in the composite outcome (R2 = 0.266, F(4, 84) = 7.60, p < .001). Policy and institutional alignment (β = 0.346) and inter-agency coordination (β = 0.339) emerged as the strongest independent predictors; programme design and responsiveness was not a significant independent predictor once the other three variables were controlled. Qualitative findings corroborated these patterns, with facilitators identifying procedural delays, weak inter-agency coordination, and continuity gaps in psychosocial support as the primary systemic barriers. Findings support strengthening policy alignment, formalizing inter-agency referral coordination, and extending psychosocial support across the full transition period. Keywords: Systemic Realignment; Socioeconomic Support; Care Leavers; Independent Living