Transition-Age Youth and Caregiver Perceptions of Self-Sufficiency

Background and purpose: Transition-age foster youth (TAY) depend on service providers, peers, caregivers, and others to navigate a complex path to self-sufficiency, yet still face enormously daunting challenges in this process. While extant research has examined the meaning of self-sufficiency for foster youth, there remains a lack of comparative knowledge about the factors that TAY and caregivers identify as critical to a successful transition to independent living. The purpose of this paper is to compare TAY and caregiver perceptions regarding self-sufficiency. Research questions included: What are the perceptions of TAY and caregivers about TAY self-sufficiency and are they congruent? In what areas are they similar or different? What are the supports that TAY need in order to be self-sufficient?

Methods: A total of four focus groups were conducted, two with transition age youth (TAY) and two with caregivers. Eight TAY ages 18-22 (mean age of 19) and 14 caregivers (foster parents of youth ages 16-22) were recruited purposively from two large foster care service provider agencies in New York City. Focus group recordings were transcribed and imported into Atlas.ti to assist in data organization. The authors assigned codes to the data to represent meaningful categories. The authors then identified the major transcript segments relating to the primary research question, engaged in focused coding around the core concepts of the study, developed data matrices to organize findings according to core concepts, and determined similarities and differences in the perceptions of self-sufficiency among TAY and caregivers. Investigator triangulation and an extensive audit trail increased the rigor of the analysis.

Results: Caregivers and TAY held congruent perceptions around the logistics of achieving self-sufficiency. These included emphasizing the importance of financial literacy, securing housing, applying and paying for college, and maintaining a household. Notably, caregivers uniquely expressed the significance of nurturing the personal development of TAY. This included cultivating a strong work ethic, bolstering self-esteem, providing a sense of belonging, and building strong social bonds. Caregivers and TAY both echoed an appreciation for the close relationships and support received from service providers, social workers, and therapists; however both expressed a desire for autonomy as well as the need to be heard. TAY expressed specific frustration around a perceived lack of options in regards to housing, the absence of a consolidated list of services leading to confusion around available resources, and the slow, arduous processes of getting things done. Caregivers, on the other hand, suggested broadening access to Independent Living Programs and increasing collaboration to facilitate the sharing of caregiver knowledge with the agency and with one another.

Conclusion and implications: This study highlighted important skills needed to prepare youth for self-sufficiency and pointed to the need for strategies for caregiver training and support. Continued efforts to identify distinct as well as overlapping conceptualizations of self-sufficiency may assist in developing a more unified approach to service delivery. Ultimately, working toward a consensus in defining and preparing TAY for self-sufficiency may contribute to achieving more positive outcomes for those aging out of foster care.