Aging out of Foster Care with Disabilities: Predictors of Educational Attainment and Employment

Background and Purpose: Each year nearly 25,000 youth aging out (YAO) of foster care are confronted with instant adulthood (HHS, 2013). Compared to their peers, YAO are less likely to graduate high school, pursue college, or complete it (Courtney, Dworsky, Lee, & Raap, 2009). While troubling, these findings may actually underestimate hardship, as youth with disabilities—who also face challenges during transitions into adulthood—are often under-represented within studies of YAO (Blakeslee, 2013). Through a national sample of YAO with disabilities, this study examines (1) how youth with disabilities (as understood by disability status and disability type) fare in achieving educational and employment outcomes as they transition into adulthood; and (2) individual- and system-level characteristics associated with their educational and employment outcomes.

Method: This longitudinal panel study uses data (N=6,500) from the National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD; 2011 and 2013) linked with the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS, 2011). The NYTD provide state-level information about youth in foster care, including educational and employment outcomes. AFCARS provide disability diagnoses as well as information related to youths’ ability to successfully transition from care. Hierarchical logistic regression models were constructed to investigate relationships among the independent variables—disability status (yes=2,915; 45%), disability type (i.e., mental health-only [22.1%]; mental health and other diagnoses [13.5%]; and other diagnoses [9.3%])—and outcomes—high school graduation (yes=66.7%) and productive engagement (yes to college enrollment or employment=50.8%).

Results: Findings indicated that YAO with a disability (any type) experienced 15% lower odds of high school completion relative to YAO without disabilities (OR = 0.85; p < .05). Investigating disability type, we found that YAO with a mental health diagnosis plus at least one other diagnosis (MH-plus) experienced 25% lower odds of high school completion (p < .01) relative to YAO without disabilities.

Also, YAO with a disability (any type) experienced 23% lower odds of productive engagement (OR=0.77; p < .001). YAO with only a mental health diagnosis experienced 29% lower odds of productive engagement relative to peers without a diagnosis (p < .001), as did YAO with a MH-plus diagnosis (25% lower; p < .01).

Positive predictors of high school completion and productive engagement included being female, having health insurance, and being engaged with foster care at 19. Negative predictors of high school completion and productive engagement included being Hispanic, receiving special education, being removed from the home three or more times, and receiving SSI/SSDI.

Conclusions and Implications: These findings highlight a need for further research to identify and reduce barriers among YAO with disabilities, particularly those with mental health diagnoses, as they transition to adulthood. First, recognizing the challenges to completing high school for YAO with disabilities, child welfare and special education systems may consider refining protocol to intentionally integrate transition planning across systems, consistent with the goals of the Fostering Connections Act (2008) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (2004). Further, policy development to guide accommodations of YAO with disabilities—in post-secondary education and on the job—is warranted.