A Reason, a Season, or a Lifetime: Relational Permanence Among Young Adults with Foster Care Backgrounds A Reason, a Season, or a Lifetime: Relational Permanence Among Young Adults with Foster Care Backgrounds Author (original) (raw)
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2008
Acknowledgments The author wishes to express gratitude to the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative for initiating and supporting this study. Special appreciation is extended to staff and administrators at Jim Casey Foundation’s national office and the Opportunity Passport™ grantees that participated in this study. Their assistance and support made this project possible. Special thanks are due to LaShaun Brooks, who
Challenges of Emerging Adulthood among Youth out of Foster Care
Youth out of foster care can face various problems related to finding a housing, unemployment, low educational attainment or lack of interpersonal relationships. The aim of the research was to study the problems of youth out of foster care in Georgia. Within the qualitative study semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted. The findings indicated that youth out of foster care felt unprepared for life and face some financial, social and psychological challenges which make the transition to adulthood more problematic. They have a problem of unstable housing, employment and community integration. In this critical period of transition, social workers are responsible for supporting adolescence. The study identified very low involvement of the social worker during preparation to age out of foster care. Social workers must continue to work with young people, help them build relationships and positive support network. It's recommended to expand foster care services to the youth with the aims of growing learning and accommodation stability, and employment services. Policy makers should consider housing opportunities for youth out of foster care. Youngsters out of foster care require protective preparation and planning, which will help adolescents make this transition into adulthood more flexible.
The transition from adolescence to adulthood is a significant developmental stage. When foster youth age out of the child welfare system, they are at risk of having to transition without family support. This chapter applies the life course perspective to describe the theoretical and contextual foundation that explains the hardships foster youth experience when emancipated from the US child welfare system. Next, the theoretical basis for natural mentoring among foster youth is explored using the resiliency perspective to frame the discussion. Then, current research on natural mentoring among foster youth is reviewed. Implications are drawn for US child welfare practice, policy, and research with respect to how to improve outcomes for youth who age out of foster care through the cultivation of natural mentoring relationships. The chapter concludes with an examination of systems in place to support transitioning foster youth from England, Israel, and Australia.
Foster Youth and the Transition to Adulthood
Emerging Adulthood, 2013
The transition from adolescence to adulthood is considered a significant developmental stage in a young person’s growth. Most youth receive family support to help them weather the difficulties associated with this stage. When foster youth age out of the child welfare system, they confront the challenges associated with this developmental stage and are at risk of having to transition without family support. This article applies the life course perspective to describe the theoretical and contextual foundation that explains the hardships foster youth experience when they emancipate from the U.S. child welfare system. Next, the theoretical basis for natural mentoring among foster youth is explored using the resiliency perspective to frame the discussion. Then, current research on natural mentoring among foster youth is reviewed. The article concludes with implications for U.S. child welfare practice, policy, and research with respect to how to improve outcomes for youth who age out of f...
Children and Youth Services Review, 2017
Research has identified the benefits of having non-parental adults for older youth in foster care, but less is known about the characteristics of these relationships, as well as the processes that support the foster youth as they transition from care to independence. The present study included a diverse group of 99 young adults, who recently emancipated from care in a major U.S. city. These young adults reported having a very important non-parental adult (VIP) and 63 of these VIPs were also included in this study. The youth participated in a two-hour in-person interview followed by a survey, and the VIPs underwent a phone interview; all of these interviews were later transcribed and qualitatively coded using thematic analysis. Overall, this study aimed to: 1) identify the characteristics of these VIPs, and 2) elucidate how the VIPs support youth during the transition from care. Prominent characteristics of the youth and VIP relationship identified in this study include the relationship being "parentlike", respectful, and reciprocal with regards to communication. Moreover, it was found that both the youth and the VIPs viewed these relationships to be important in reducing negative outcomes for the youth. These results call for the foster care system to take steps in helping foster care youth find and build relationships with the non-parental adults in their lives-VIPs can serve as important sources of support to aid foster youth in their adaptation to young adulthood.
Supporting Youth Transitioning out of Foster Care
2014
Youth transitioning out of foster care and into adulthood need many supports to navigate the challenges they face. Over the past three decades, federal child welfare policy has significantly increased the availability of those supports. In 1999, the Foster Care Independence Act amended Title IV-E of the Social Security Act to create the Chafee Foster Care Independence Program (the Chafee Program). This amendment doubled the maximum amount of funds potentially available to states for independent living services and gave states greater discretion over how they use those funds. In addition to allowing states to provide services such as training in daily living skills, education and employment assistance, counseling, case management, and a written transitional independent living plan, this amendment also allowed them to use up to 30 percent of Chafee funds for room and board. 1 More recently, a provision in the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 gave states an option to extend eligibility for Title IV-E foster care for youth beyond age 18 until age 21. In states that have taken this option, young people can receive an additional three years of foster care support to prepare for the transition into adulthood. Although Chafee dollars can be spent on a wide range of services and supports, much of the funding is being spent on services aimed at promoting educational attainment. This probably reflects the relationship between educational attainment and success in other domains. Not only has postsecondary education become increasingly essential to economic self-sufficiency, but in addition, higher levels of education are associated with better health, increased civic engagement, and better outcomes for children (Baum and Ma 2007).
Families of Origin, Foster Care Experience, and the Transition to Adulthood
Juvenile and Family Court Journal, 2009
The rising number of young adults transitioning to adulthood from the foster care system has been a focus of prior research. The current study explored foster care youths transitions to adulthood to identify factors that contribute to or inhibit prosocial adult outcomes. Structured data derived from interviews with foster careexperienced adults and child welfare professionals as well as focus groups with foster care-experienced adults and foster parents were analyzed using content analysis to examine the transition to adulthood from foster care. Positive or negative life outcomes resulted from two key mechanisms: a) issues related to family of origin (inadequate parenting, abuse); and b) foster care experiences (including a pattern of "drift"). We explore disidentification, a new social psychological concept. Throughout, key players provide policy recommendations for the child welfare system.