Research That Matters (January 17 - 20, 2008)

Background & Purpose: The transition to adulthood is often a tumultuous period for current and former foster youth. Research consistently demonstrates the unique challenges these young people face in establishing themselves as independent and self-sufficient adults (Festinger, 1983; Barth, 1990; Cook, 1994; Barth and Courtney, 1996; McMillen, 1997; Courtney et al 2005; Pecora et al 2005). To ameliorate the challenges young people face, Congress authorized the Foster Care Independence Act. Subsequently, each state expanded services targeted at foster youth but a significant proportion of eligible youth still do not receive services (GAO, 2004). The aim of this paper is to examine the association between characteristics and experiences of youth and their receipt of independent living services.

Methods: This paper uses data from the Midwest Evaluation of the Adult Functioning of Former Foster Youth (“Midwest Study”). A unique feature of this study is that only one of the three participating states routinely allows foster youth to remain in care until their 21st birthday, allowing for analysis of whether extension of care past age 18 is associated with increased receipt of independent living services.

Tobit regression models were estimated to examine the relationship between foster youth characteristics and self-reported receipt of independent living services (1) prior to baseline interviews and (2) between baseline (n = 732) and follow-up (n = 603) interviews across five service domains (education, employment, money management, health education, and housing). All models included measures of youths' placement histories, human capital, and psycho-social functioning at baseline. We also added care status (still in care vs. no longer in care) and service receipt prior to baseline to models of service receipt after baseline.

Results: Although 85 percent of youth reported having received services in at least one of the service domains prior to the baseline interview at 17-18, for each distinct service domain at least one-third of youth reported having received no services. Baseline tobit regression models found a number of factors to be associated with increased service receipt including placement in group care, reporting fewer mental health problems, greater reported satisfaction with the child welfare system, self-reported likelihood of seeking assistance from the system, and having previously run away from care. Follow-up models reveal that state of residence and care status are associated with service receipt. Those youth who remained in care received significantly more services; of the 282 youth still in care at follow-up interviews, 75 percent report receipt of services in one or more service domains compared with 59 percent of the 321 youth no longer in care (p < .01).

Conclusions & Implications: The characteristics and experiences associated with receipt of services suggest subpopulations that could be targeted for increased service provision (e.g., youth with mental health problems and those in kin and non-relative foster family care). The findings also suggest that extending care past age 18 increases receipt of transition services. However, research on the effectiveness of independent living services is needed to assess whether such services are worthy of greater resource investment.