This article aims to start a discussion on whether an alternative pathway to tertiary education can be found for
New Zealand youth who are in care and who are experiencing mental health and/or behavioural difficulties and,
more specifically, conduct problems. Our purpose is to challenge the conventional approaches to education and
to propose a method that could support the development of more tailored and effective educational pathways.
These proposed, potentially more effective, pathways would see youth in care – who would not ordinarily achieve
New Zealand’s National Certificate of Education Achievement (NCEA) levels 1 and 2 (due to externalising
behaviours which impact progress to tertiary education) – gain success in these qualifications.