Examining Parenting Foster Youth Status and Outcomes at Different Ages: Implications for Tailored Interventions and Support for Parents in State Care

Background and Purpose: Parenting foster youth (PFY), as compared to non-parenting foster youth (NPFY), have been found to experience greater adverse outcomes in areas such as education, employment, housing stability, mental health, and criminal justice involvement (Courtney et. al., 2020; Eastman et. al., 2019; Harty & Ethier, 2023). However, there is limited research on the trends in parental status and outcomes among PFY at various ages, which is crucial for providing age-specific support to PFY. This study investigates trends in parental status and outcomes among PFY and NPFY at ages 19, 21, and 23, contributing to an understanding of the disparities between the two groups during these pivotal stages.

Methods: The study analyzed outcomes among 727 CalYOUTH participants from Waves 2-4 at ages 19, 21, and 23, using data from the CalYOUTH survey, National Student Clearinghouse, and California Employment Development Department. We compared outcomes between PFY and NPFY in key areas, including high school completion and college enrollment, employment and earnings, savings amount, food and housing stability, physical and mental health, social support, justice system involvement, and victimization. We used chi-square tests to identify statistically significant (p<.05) differences for categorical outcomes (e.g., school enrollment) and t-tests to identify differences in continuous outcomes (e.g., average income).

Results: At ages 19–23, the percentage of PFY increased from 20.1% to 41.7%. A greater percentage of female than male youth became parents across all three ages (p<.001 at each wave). Hispanic youth were also more likely to be PFY than youth of other races/ethnicities at age 21 (p=.004) and age 23 (p=.039). In terms of trends in outcomes, compared to NPFY, PFY had significantly lower rates of completing a high school credential at all three ages (e.g., 72.2% vs. 47.3% at age 19). By age 23, PFY had lower rates of college enrollment than NPFY (56.0% vs 69.5%, p=.003) and were less likely to have completed a 2- or 4-year college degree (3.5% vs 16.1% p<.001). Additionally, PFY received significantly more CalFresh benefits (p<.001 across all ages) but reported lower perceived social support adequacy (p<.01 across all ages) than did NPFY.

Conclusions and Implications: Findings from this study underscore the need to address the unique challenges faced by PFY, particularly as they grow older, considering the observed trends and disparities. As the proportion of PFY increases with age, and since Hispanic and female youth are more likely to be PFY, age-, gender-, and culturally-sensitive interventions must be prioritized. Findings reveal persistent disparities in educational attainment, employment, and social support between PFY and NPFY, with PFY faring worse in these key areas. Parenting may be a source of meaning and fulfillment for PFY, but it may hinder high school completion and post-secondary education pursuits. Policymakers and service providers should consider implementing targeted supports for PFY, such as childcare and flexible educational opportunities, to enable them to complete their education and access better job prospects. Additionally, enhancing the social support systems for PFY is crucial, as it can directly influence PFY, child, and family outcomes.