Session: Transition-Age Youth Research and Evaluation: Understanding the Transition to Adulthood for Young People in Foster Care (Society for Social Work and Research 30th Annual Conference Anniversary)

Transitioning to adulthood is particularly challenging for transition-age youth (TAY) in foster care, a group often facing compounded barriers due to their marginalized backgrounds and lack of family support. Research consistently shows that TAY in foster care tend to experience worse outcomes compared to their non-foster peers in education, employment, mental health, housing stability, and social support. The 2008 Fostering Connections Act addresses this issue by allowing states to claim federal reimbursement for foster care costs for eligible youth until age 21. California, with the largest foster care population in the US, adopted an ambitious and inclusive approach, making it a crucial case study. The California Youth Transitions to Adulthood Study (CalYOUTH) is the most comprehensive longitudinal study on TAY in foster care, evaluating the implementation of California's foster care extension. CalYOUTH surveyed TAY at ages 17, 19, 21, and 23, collecting data from interviews with youth, surveys of caseworkers, and analyses of administrative records on youths' histories in foster care, education, earnings, and use of public aid. The baseline survey, conducted in 2013, included a stratified statewide sample of 727 youth aged 16.75-17.75 who had been in care for at least six months (with a 95% response rate). Follow-up interviews were completed with 84% of the baseline sample in 2015, 85% in 2017, and 86% in 2019-2020. The study concluded data collection in 2022, with ongoing analysis continuing to provide insights into TAY outcomes. These findings inform policy and practice improvements to better support this population. Building on the foundation laid by CalYOUTH, the study transitioned to the Transition-Age Youth Research and Evaluation Hub (TAY-Hub) within the California Child Welfare Indicators Project at UC Berkeley. The TAY-Hub enhances California's capacity to generate and analyze data on TAY, providing publicly accessible resources on youth outcomes. The TAY-Hub's research informs policy changes that support TAY, grounded in collaboration with child welfare services community and youth with lived experience in foster care. Our symposium features four presentations from TAY-Hub researchers, leveraging both population-level administrative data from California's Child Welfare Services System and longitudinal survey data from CalYOUTH. Paper 1 explores predictors of self-reported homelessness in early adulthood among TAY, examining system characteristics and service delivery contexts. Paper 2 investigates whether early adult outcomes differ by sexual minority status and EFC participation, and whether EFC moderates the relationship between sexual minority status and adult outcomes. Paper 3 examines county-level variations in the availability and placement patterns in the Transitional Housing Placement Program, which supports TAY with independent living. Finally, Paper 4 explores the prevalence of reentry to foster care among adolescents who exit to permanency, identifying factors associated with this reentry. The studies presented reflect a growing recognition that supportive housing options, county-level service capacity, and inclusive practices influence the effectiveness of EFC in mitigating homelessness and instability. These findings offer insights for refining the design and implementation of EFC and emphasize the importance of policies and practices that align with the diverse needs of TAY to ensure their successful transition to adulthood.