The purpose of this applied dissertation was to explore the lived experiences of teens aging out of foster care, in an effort to better understand their needs. The researcher conducted three 60-minute interviews with nine former foster youth…to assist in understanding the lived experiences of former foster youth. (Doctoral thesis)
The vision of the Almatine’s Goodies initiative is to collaborate with communities, social service agencies and post-secondary institutions in the US to provide care packages to former and current foster care youth (men and women) who are enrolled in a post-secondary institutions.
The purpose of the study was to describe life experiences of children aging out of the foster care system from the perspectives of adults who have successfully navigated this transition. (Dissertation, Georgia State University)
This Issue Brief published by Hawai‘i KIDS COUNT covers the impact that not having a strong relationship with a supportive adult has on youth aging out of the system and recommends strategies to ensure educational, housing, employment, health, and safety needs of these youth are addressed before they age out.
This article uses research from Missouri, where older youth can stay in the foster care system until age 21; to address several different questions about the phenomenon of transitioning out of the foster care system between ages 17 and 19. (Literature Review – Child Youth Serv Rev)
This qualitative study reports the findings of interviews with a diverse sample of 27 current and former foster youths in a Midwestern state (Kansas), focusing on the quantity and quality of independent living services received. (Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Social Sciences)
The purpose of this content analysis was to explore some of the variables associated with a successful transition while “aging out of” foster care, and to better understand how youth define and experience this transition from their perspective and in their own words. (St. Catherine University/University of St. Thomas)
This report addresses the widespread belief that youth who fail to reach a permanent status with parents or other relatives and who thus remain in foster care until reaching the age of 18 are likely to face poor economic and social circumstances as they enter adulthood. (Chapin Hall)
The new research showed that adolescents still have a lot of growing to do during late puberty and beyond, and that child welfare systems may be sending them out on their own too early and without necessary resources, relationships and opportunities to thrive. (JIM CASEY YOUTH OPPORTUNITIES INITIATIVE / THE ANNIE E. CASEY FOUNDATION)
This brief examines Opportunity Passport™ participant data to reveal the education and employment barriers that young people often face when leaving foster care. Readers will also learn how to design effective policies and practices that supply the resources, relationships and opportunities needed to help these young people successfully transition into adulthood.