Transitioning out of Foster Care: The First Twelve Months

Background and Purpose

In 2014, over 24,000 youth “aged out” of the foster care system. These youth are at particular risk for negative outcomes including school dropout, unemployment, homelessness, substance abuse, health and mental health problems, unwanted pregnancy, and victimization.

We know relatively little about how, when, and why former foster youth find themselves on this downward trajectory. This qualitative, phenomenological study begins to fill that gap by focusing exclusively on the first year after youth leave care. It examines their lived experience in relation to housing, education, employment, and relationships with trusted adults.

Research questions:

•         In which domains are transitioning youth most successful? Which are the most challenging?

•         When, why, and how do youth experience adverse events?

•         What progress toward self-sufficiency can youth make during the transitional year?

•         How do demographic characteristics and prior foster care experiences impact their experience?

•         Is the first year after leaving care a critical one?

Methods

All youth aging out of foster care from four jurisdictions, during a one-year period, were recruited for participation in the study. Nineteen youth enrolled, including seven males and 12 females. Seven self-identified as African American, eight as Hispanic, two as White, one as American Indian, and one as mixed race. All were between ages 18 and 21 and all were single. All but two had first entered foster care as teenagers.

Background information about each youth was retrieved from the state's child welfare database. Researchers conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews with each participant, monthly, over the course of a full year; this contemporaneous data collection distinguished this study from others that are retrospective or rely on interviews conducted at much larger intervals. Responses were recorded by hand.

Although some results were tallied, the emphasis was on capturing subjective experience. The researchers analyzed the interview responses, identifying key words and phrases; these were organized into themes, which were grouped into categories. Because the process was inductive, themes and categories were continually modified to accommodate the data.

Results

Researchers were able to closely track the participants as they moved through their first year after leaving care. Frequent changes in housing, education, employment, and relationships were typical; youth returning home experienced particular instability. Study participants were most successful in education and least successful in employment; money was a constant stressor and, regardless of preparation, youth felt ill-prepared for the demands of independence. Although these youth fared better than those in national studies, their challenges were similar and began immediately after leaving care. Despite setbacks, most remained optimistic about their futures.

Conclusions and Implications

The first year after leaving care is critical. Services should target this transition period, when youth are no longer served by the child welfare system and many are unable to navigate the adult system. Stability is more realistic than self-sufficiency. Help with small things (computer access, car repairs) can forestall more serious problems and facilitate success. Research using a larger sample and additional domains should test creative interventions that build on protective factors and target the transitional year.