Transitioning youth: Policies and outcomes

The primary policies and outcome studies regarding youth transitioning from foster care and young adults who have aged out of foster care over the past quarter of a century are reviewed. Although several policies have increased services and funding for this population, overall, their outcomes have not significantly improved. In terms of educational achievement, employment, and well-being, many continue to fare poorly in young adulthood. Further policies and practice improvements may need to be implemented. The population of youth transitioning has far outpaced the funding available, state and program eligibility requirements may be eliminating the most vulnerable from services, in many states there is an inadequate provision of basic needs such as housing and healthcare, the expectations of self-sufficiency for this population now exceed societal norms, and the restrictions and placement instability associated with many older adolescents in care may be in contrast to their developmental needs. In order to more fully address the needs of youth transitioning from foster care, child welfare policies and practices may need to focus more attention on the relational and social development of youth while in foster care. Furthermore, during young adulthood, policies and practices may need to provide greater safety nets and resources to this population.     

Fostering Higher Education: A postsecondary access and retention intervention for youth with foster care experience

Most youth in foster care aspire to obtain higher education, but face daunting obstacles in doing so. While societal interest and effort to support foster youth in achieving higher education has grown, very few supports have evidence to show that they are effective at improving postsecondary outcomes. In an effort to address the dearth of clearly articulated, evidence-based postsecondary support approaches for foster youth, we have developed Fostering Higher Education (FHE), a comprehensive, structured, and evaluable postsecondary access and retention intervention composed of elements (professional educational advocacy, substance abuse prevention, mentoring) that are either evidence based or promising based on the scientific literature and their ability to address the outcomes of interest. This paper describes the development and youth usability and practitioner feasibility testing of the FHE intervention approach, which was developed through funding from the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Youth usability feedback was primarily positive, with the majority of participants indicating they found the FHE activities interesting and useful, and were comfortable participating in them. Practitioner feasibility feedback was also primarily positive, with almost unanimous ratings of the FHE intervention components as very important to provide to youth and that all would be feasible for an organization to implement, though the mentoring components were seen as slightly less feasible than other components. Next steps and implications of this intervention development process are discussed.     

Voices of former foster youth: Supportive relationships in the transition to adulthood

As the adolescent development literature has recognized the importance of social supports in the transition to adulthood, child welfare research, policies, and programs have turned their attention to the relational needs of youth emancipating from the foster care system. This study builds on the extant literature on social support among transitioning foster care youth; it goes beyond the sole identification of relational networks, to explore how youth actually utilize their network members, and the overall quality of their support system. This study collects data from twenty qualitative interviews with foster youth, ages 18–21. We analyze the data using consensual qualitative research methods in order to develop core themes around shared youth experiences. We found that while foster youth did identify a wide network of both formal and informal supports during their transition to adulthood, there were “holes” in the form of support, especially appraisal and instrumental support, provided by informal network members. Additionally, an unrealistic perception of supportive and permanent relationships may be contributing to poor outcomes in emerging adulthood. Implications for policy and practice are discussed.     

Is anybody there? Informal supports accessed and sought by youth from foster care

Young people's ‘ageing out’ of foster care has been described as stark and abrupt, in sharp contrast with the gradual process of transitioning to adulthood experienced by parented youth in the general population. Research has demonstrated that being supported during this transition is associated with a variety of health, social, and educational outcomes. The purpose of this article is to report former foster youths' perspectives on their informal supports, what difference these supports made for them, and what they believed would be useful in their transition to adulthood. Data came from semi-structured interviews with 43 former foster youth aged 19–26. Findings revealed that while approximately half the informants reported having support from family, most did not have family whom they regularly relied upon for emotional, practical and/or financial support. Further, while nearly all youths indicated that having support made a difference to them, many also noted that for daily living, they were on their own. The study's findings are an important reminder of the gulf existing between youth from care and parented youth in terms of their access to support during their journey to adulthood.     

Better Futures: A validated model for increasing postsecondary preparation and participation of youth in foster care with mental health challenges

Higher education participation rates of young people in foster care are dramatically lower than their level of postsecondary education aspiration. Increasing attention to this disparity has stimulated policy and practice enhancements, however rigorously validated models for promoting postsecondary preparation and participation have not existed for young people in foster care, including those with mental health conditions. This article describes Better Futures, which is the first such model to be experimentally validated as effective for increasing the higher education participation and other related outcomes of young people in foster care with mental health challenges. Better Futures features a four day on-campus Summer Institute, coaching provided to youth by older peers who are in college and have shared experiences around foster care and/or mental health, and workshops that bring together youth, coaches and guest speakers for information sharing and mutual support. This article includes the theoretical and component features of the Better Futures model, findings related to intervention fidelity, participants' evaluation of the program, and discussion of implications for future model refinement and research.     

In their own words: Overcoming barriers during the transition to adulthood for youth with disabilities who experienced foster care

The transition to adulthood can be especially challenging for youth who experience the foster care system. These challenges are magnified for youth with disabilities, who account for at least 40–47% of all children in foster care (Powers et al., 2012). In order to move from a deficit-based to a strength-based approach, this qualitative study focused on understanding the lived experience of transitioning to adulthood for alumni of foster care with disabilities. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven young adults who had exited care over a six-month time period. Participants described their journeys from foster care to independence and articulated a vision for a successful adulthood. Key themes that emerged included a desire for stability and personal fulfillment in adult life. Participants also identified common barriers encountered including unmet mental health needs and lack of disability awareness or the implications of mental health diagnosis. Personal strengths that helped overcome those barriers included resilience, advocacy, and self-determination.     

Experiences of youth who transition to adulthood out of care: Developing a theoretical framework

Adverse adulthood outcomes are well documented among youth who age out of foster care. However, not all youth who age out of care experience deleterious adult outcomes, despite struggling with similar challenges during the transition from adolescence to adulthood. Childhood maltreatment, which places youth at greater risk for later maladaptive functioning and psychopathology, may partially explain poor adjustment outcomes in adulthood. Similarly, a history of unstable placements and residing in institutional congregate care settings may also contribute to hardship during this time. However, none of these factors help to explain how some young people aging out of care manage to achieve stability while transitioning into adulthood. This article reviews the literature through the lens of the identity capital framework, and discusses the applicability of this framework to the experiences of youth aging out of foster care.     

Responsive engagement in mental health services for foster youth transitioning to adulthood

ABSTRACT

As youth near the transition to adulthood and aging out of the foster care system, exposure to stress increases, especially for youth who have less-than-adequate support systems. Although mental health problems among foster youth often continue into adulthood, service use decreases dramatically within a year of turning age 18. Understanding how foster youth experience mental health services as they transition from care provides social workers and other mental health professionals important insight that can lead to specific, targetable strategies. This study sought to explore what situations were helpful in supporting mental health as foster youth transitioned to adulthood. Focus groups and interviews with former foster youth and professionals informed the development of a quantitative instrument, which was used to identify the most supportive and frequently encountered situations former foster youth experienced. Findings indicate the most helpful situations were those in which professionals and mentors were flexible and responsive to their individual needs and trusted their ability to make decisions. Supportive adults who honored their choices and collaborated in decision-making were also helpful. Engaging, empowering, and partnering with transition-age youth may increase the likelihood of positive mental health outcomes for this population, offering implications for family-centered, strengths-based practice.     

Can Machine Learning Create an Advocate for Foster Youth?

ABSTRACT

Statistics are bleak for youth aging out of the United States foster care system. They are often left with few resources, are likely to experience homelessness, and are at increased risk of incarceration and exploitation. The Think of Us platform is a service for foster youth and their advocates to create personalized goals and access curated content specific to aging out of the foster care system. In this article, we propose the use of a machine learning algorithm within the Think of Us platform to better serve youth transitioning to life outside of foster care. The algorithm collects and collates publicly available figures and data to inform caseworkers and other mentors chosen by the youth on how to best assist foster youth. It can then provide valuable resources for the youth and their advocates targeted directly toward their specific needs. Finally, we examine machine learning as a support system and aid for caseworkers to buttress and protect vulnerable young adults during their transition to adulthood.     

Can't do it alone: housing collaborations to improve foster youth outcomes

Research documents that youth transitioning out of the foster care system experience a variety of negative outcomes, including homelessness. Housing collaborations, which aim to comprehensively address resource and service needs for transitioning youth, including permanent connections, education, and employment, have resulted in innovative programming and forged new relationships among child welfare, social service and housing developers, and providers. This article describes the partners, models, and resources several collaborations used and their progress and outcomes; shares insights gained; and explores productive directions for future work.     

Increasing college access for youth aging out of foster care: Evaluation of a summer camp program for foster youth transitioning from high school to college

Young people who transition from the foster care system face many challenges including lack of support and other educational barriers. They are less likely to graduate from high school than their counterparts and go on to college yet despite challenges, many succeed and take advantage of higher education programs.In Michigan, a state with one of the highest percentage of youth in foster care, Michigan State University developed a small scale, targeted intervention to help transitioning foster youth achieve their goals of pursuing higher education. Led by the School of Social Work in collaboration with other colleges and disciplines, it was demonstrated that a campus based learning program for transitioning foster youth can help contribute toward a perceived increase in knowledge and information about college life, funding and admissions procedures. The educational process involved peer support, role modeling, mentoring and active learning sessions led by the faculty and students who were often foster care alumni themselves. Leaders and speakers came from a range of disciplines, institutions and organizations. This approach and curriculum contributed to perceptions of the camp as enhancing life skills, self-concept, empowerment and sense of purpose. Consequently, this program contributed to the resilience of those who attended and potentially helped build steps from care to higher education.     

Conceptualizing a Mobile App for Foster Youth Transitioning to Adulthood: A Mixed-Method Approach

Despite the promise of mobile smartphone applications (apps) in addressing challenges faced by foster youth transitioning to adulthood, the literature is devoid of conceptual frameworks for the development of these apps. This article documents the process of using Concept Mapping to delineate a conceptual framework germane to developing an app to assist youth transitioning from foster care to adulthood, and explore differences in development priority areas among participants. Participant data was collected via qualitative brainstorming sessions, and analyzed using multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analysis. This article explicates findings from this study, discusses implications, and identifies apposite areas for future research.     

Qualitative exporation of relationships with important non-parental adults in the lives of youth in foster care

Foster youth are at risk of poor adult outcomes. Research on the role of mentoring relationships for this population suggests the value of strategies that increase their access to adult sources of support, both while in foster care and as they reach adulthood. We conducted semi-structured, individual qualitative interviews with 23 former foster youth ages 18-25 regarding their relationships with supportive non-parental adults. We sought to identify factors that influence the formation, quality, and duration of these relationships and to develop testable hypotheses for intervention strategies. Findings suggest several themes related to relationship formation with non-parental adults, including barriers (e.g., youth's fears of being hurt) and facilitators (e.g., patience from the adult). Distinct themes were also identified relating to the ongoing development and longevity of these relationships. Youth also described multiple types of support and positive contributions to their development. Proposed intervention strategies include systematic incorporation of important non-parental adults into transition planning, enhanced training and matching procedures within formal mentoring programs, assistance for youth to strengthen their interpersonal awareness and skills, and the targeting of specific periods of need when linking youth to sources of adult support. Recommended research includes the development, pilot-testing, and evaluation of proposed strategies.     

Using the bridges transition framework for youth in foster care: Measurement development and preliminary outcomes

Youth in foster care often undergo multiple transitions before reaching adulthood, and these transitions often create significant stress and can exacerbate emotional and behavioral problems. A measurement instrument (the Youth Experience of Transitions, or YET) was designed to assess foster care youths' understanding of transitions, and this instrument was tested on a group of youth undergoing an intervention program designed to assist them in coping with the stress of these transitions while in foster care. The intervention was based on the Transitions Framework by William Bridges and was implemented in multiple community agencies with funding from the Andrus Family Fund. Using factor analysis, we found that the YET contained two factors representing (1) openness and (2) determination. For youth in the participating foster care programs, growth in openness from baseline to 6 months was linked to a significant decrease in internalizing symptoms; no significant links were found for externalizing symptoms. Implications for foster care intervention programs are discussed.     

Smoothing the transition to adulthood: Creating ongoing supportive relationships among foster youth

This paper assesses the utility and effectiveness of a foster care model designed to improve youth transitions to adulthood. The model engages the youth's social network, helps youth to develop supportive, ongoing relationships with adults, and is heavily focused on youth empowerment. A three-year evaluation of 88 foster youth revealed that youth exposed to the model felt they had more power over their lives, had a wider variety of supportive adults in their lives, and could better regulate their emotions than those in a comparison group.     

Academic resilience and caring adults: The experiences of former foster youth

As a result of being removed from their homes and moving between different placements and schools, foster youth can experience high levels of stress and challenges as they struggle to cope with such extreme emotional turbulence. The experience of trauma and instability in turn, can have consequences on foster students' academic progress. As it is seemingly uncommon for foster youth to matriculate to postsecondary education, this study examines how successful foster youth transitioned out of care and furthered their education at an academically rigorous institution. From high-achieving former foster students, this study uncovers their experiences while in out-of-home care that helped them enroll in a university, including how adult supporters provided guidance, emotional support, and stability, which allowed students to move out of their negative past experiences. Adults' willingness to assist youth and be a part of their lives provided students with a transformative academic and social emotional environment, furthering their ability to persist through high school and gain acceptance to a top-tier university.     

“At times I kinda felt I was in an institution”: Supportive housing for transition age youth and young adults

Housing stability is essential for young adult development. Older youth and young adults transitioning from public systems of care, such as foster care, the public mental health system and residential settings, commonly experience high levels of transience and housing instability. In recent years, supportive housing policies and programs have emerged to address this situation, yet we know little about whether (or not) new programs are meeting the needs of youth in transition, and, if so, how they are addressing the unique developmental, social, and emotional needs of this population. This study is one of the first to speak directly with young adults living in a supportive housing program designed specifically for youth transitioning out of children's systems of care. Study participants spoke about both their overall transition experience and their views on the housing program where they reside. The study conducted four focus groups (N = 26) with transitioning youth and young adults, ages 18 to 25 (Mean age = 22), in order to explore the following three broad research questions: 1) what is it like to make the transition to adulthood from public children's systems of care?; 2) how does the supportive housing model they reside in shape their transition experiences?; and, 3) how do they experience the services and staff who are part of the program? Data analysis included grounded theory coding techniques and constant comparison with four coders. Results suggest that participants feel like they continue to be treated as children, and they receive mixed messages regarding their need to be increasingly autonomous, yet follow the rules. Finally, they reported specific aspects of what they found to be helpful in both staff relationships and overall program components. These themes constitute the results of the study. Findings underscore the importance of both listening directly to service users, and developing young adult supportive housing programming expressly designed to meet the unique needs of marginalized young adults transitioning to increased independence and self-sufficiency.     

Mental health and substance use disorders among foster youth transitioning to adulthood: Past research and future directions

At a time when there is increasing attention being given to systematically integrating the well-being of children with the goals of safety and permanence in child welfare, little is known about the psychosocial functioning of foster youth transitioning to adulthood from substitute care. This article systematically reviews 16 peer-reviewed articles and/or research reports to identify lifetime and past year prevalence rates of mental health disorders and service utilization. At ages 17 or 18, foster youth are 2 to 4 times more likely to suffer from lifetime and/or past year mental health disorders compared to transition aged youth in the general population. Findings show that mental health service use declines at ages when the prevalence rate of mental health disorders is peaking. The findings of this review suggest the need to focus future efforts in three main areas: 1) setting a common research agenda for the study of mental health and service use; 2) routine screening and empirically supported treatments; and 3) integration and planning between child and adult mental health service systems.     

Testing the ‘overburdening’ hypothesis: Do work and school attendance together place youth transitioning from care at risk for negative housing outcomes?

Youth aging out of the foster care system are often placed in the precarious position of both providing for themselves financially and securing their own housing at a young age. Many also choose to take on the difficult tasks of school attendance and work simultaneously during this challenging time in their lives. The current study tests the ‘overburdening’ hypothesis that examines whether taking on the demands of work and school at the same time could overwhelm and actually hinder the healthy development of youth as they transition from foster care. This question was addressed using longitudinal administrative data from 2913 youth enrolled in a transitional living program at a national nonprofit organization serving youth aging out of foster care in five states between October 2010 and July 2014. Random-intercept and lagged regression models were used to examine the association between school attendance, employment, and housing insecurity. Individually, both school attendance and employment placed youth at decreased risk for housing insecurity and little evidence emerged to support the ‘overburdening’ hypothesis. Results from lagged models suggest that the single best predictor of housing insecurity is a previous episode of housing insecurity. The evidence presented here suggests that for some youth, the decision to attend school and find employment may be a symptom, rather than a cause, of their housing insecurity. Results highlight the importance of practitioners' use of research evidence together with sound clinical judgment to support youth as they navigate the challenging developmental task of transitioning into adulthood.