Key Work
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Key Work
Report
Greater Investments Needed to Support College Students with Foster Care Backgrounds
This memo takes a closer look at the types of colleges that foster youth enroll in.
2022
Report
Majority of CalYOUTH Participants Enrolled in College, with 10% Attaining Degree by Age 23
This memo provides an early look at factors that promote or stymie college degree completion by around age 23 of youths transitioning to adulthood from the...
2021
Report
Impacts of Extended Care on Youth Outcomes Two Years after Foster Care Has Ended
This report builds on prior findings to examine the impact of extended foster care in California on youth outcomes at age 23.
2021
Report
Final Wave of CalYOUTH Study Surveys Former Foster Youth at Age 23
This report presents findings from an evaluation of the impact of the California Fostering Connections to Success Act on outcomes during foster youth's...
2020
Report
Nearly One-Third of Foster Youth in California Not Involved with Creating Transitional Independent Living Plan
This memo investigates two aspects of foster youths’ transition planning: their roles in their transitional independent living plan development and their level...
2020
Report
Foster Youth Would Benefit from Emphasis on Prevention and Treatment to Reduce Justice System Involvement
This memo examines CalYOUTH participants’ justice system involvement within two timeframes: (1) involvement before their age-17 interview and (2) involvement...
2020
Research
Foster Youths’ Capacity To Live Independently Should Drive Extended Foster Care Placement
This memo examines youths’ predominant placement type between ages 18 and 21. It compares the characteristics of youth who resided predominantly in Supervised...
2020
Report
Researchers Find Association between Participation in Extended Foster Care and Reduced Risk of Homelessness
This memo examines whether participating in extended foster care decreases the odds of experiencing homelessness among foster youth by age 21.
2020
Report
Creating Effective Services Depends on Engaging Youth in Care
A better understanding of the relationships between the service context of extended foster care, youths’ satisfaction with the services they receive, and the...
2019
Report
California Foster Youth in Extended Care Have Better Postsecondary Education Outcomes
This memo evaluates the impact of extended foster care on three postsecondary education outcomes. Â
2019
Report
Improvements in Service System Collaboration Lead to Youth Spending More Time in Extended Foster Care
This memo examines the relationship between several county-level factors and youths’ extended foster care participation among a sample of older adolescents in...
2019
Report
Foster Youth, Caseworkers Diverge in Views of Youths’ Preparedness for College
This memo adds to the growing literature on the transition to college for young people in foster care, focusing specifically on issues of preparedness to enter...
2019
Report
Improved Outcomes at Age 21 for Youth in Extended Foster Care
This report builds on prior findings from the CalYOUTH project and examines outcomes at age 21 from state administrative data and from the third interview wave...
2018
Report
Despite Implementation of Extended Foster Care in California, Permanency Rates Declined
An increasing number of states, including California, have extended foster care to age 21. However, there has been some concern that providing extended care may...
2018
Report
Many California Foster Youth Have Inadequate Social Support and Need More Support From Adults
This memo investigates the types and sources of social support for young people in extended foster care.
2018
Report
Wave 3 of CalYOUTH Study Surveys Former Foster Youth at Age 21
This study provides the most comprehensive view to date of young people approaching the transition to adulthood from foster care in the wake of the federal...
2018
Report
Half of Older Adolescents in Foster Care Use Psychotropic Drugs
In this brief, researchers explore the use of and experiences with psychotropic medications over time for California foster youth transitioning to adulthood.
2017
Report
Each Month Spent in Care Beyond Age 18 Increases Likelihood of High School Completion
This memo examines factors that influence the likelihood of young people in foster care finishing high school and entering college.
2017
Report
Youth in Extended Care in Los Angeles County Seek Improved Services
This report provides the most comprehensive view to date of young adults making the transition to adulthood from foster care in Los Angeles County.
2017
Report
More Youth Staying in Care Past Age 18, but Time in Care Varies
In this memo, researchers examine why understanding factors associated with youth’s extended foster care participation is important for predicting future...
2017
Report
Additional Time Spent in Foster Care Improves Education Outcomes
This brief provides an early look at the relationship between extended foster care and selected outcomes for youth transitioning to adulthood from care in...
2017
Report
Majority of California Youth in Foster Care Believe Extended Care Helps Them Reach Life Goals
This study focuses on the state of California, an early adopter of the new policy that also has the largest foster care population in the U.S. It addresses...
2016
Report
Caseworkers Say Lack of Appropriate Placement Options Presents Challenge to Implementing Extended Foster Care
This report presents the views and attitudes of caseworkers four years after the implementation of the California Fostering Connections to Success Act (AB 12).
2016
Report
Foster Youth Motivated to Stay in Care Beyond Age 18 but Desire More Freedom
This report examines youth and caseworker attitudes about and knowledge of extended foster care in California.
2015
Report
Implementation of Extended Care Leads to Youth Remaining in Care Longer
This study explored the relationship between the implementation of California's extended foster care law (AB 12) and foster youths' exits to legal permanency.
2015
Report
Prevalence of Mental Health Disorders Suggests Youth Reaching Age of Majority in Foster Care Need Special Attention
This report examines mental health and substance use problems of foster youth at age 17, as well as related services provided to the participants.
2015
Report
Survey of Child Welfare Workers Finds Few Appropriate Housing Options for Foster Youth over 18
California child welfare workers were surveyed about the service delivery context of extended foster care. Most workers were concerned about the availability of...
2015
Report
Study of Foster Youths’ Education Status Finds Many are Facing Hurdles to Success
This report examines the educational status of and services available to older adolescents in foster care in California, both from the viewpoint of the youth...
2015
Report
Designing Education Programs to Meet the Needs of Young Adults in Care
The Administration for Children and Families contracted with the Urban Institute and Chapin Hall to plan for the next generation of evaluation activities funded...
2014
Research
Study of Youth in California Foster Care at Age 17 Reveals Need for Ongoing Support
This study addresses whether extending foster care past age 18 in California influenced youths' outcomes during the transition to adulthood.
2014
Report
Study of California Fostering Connections Act Finds Strengths and Weaknesses in Housing Opportunities
The Fostering Connections Act provides young people with a longer period of transition, including the opportunity to learn how to manage growing autonomy and...
2014
Report
Early Implementation of Extended Foster Care Requires Engagement and Patience
The most important lesson other states might learn from California’s experience with extending foster care is that it requires considerable effort, time, and...
2013
Report
Study of Fostering Connections to Success Act Highlights Importance of Evidence
This report documents the successes and challenges of implementing California’s Fostering Connections to Success Act.
2012
Research Collection
Midwest Evaluation of the Adult Functioning of Former Foster Youth
The Midwest Evaluation of the Adult Functioning of Former Foster Youth (Midwest Study) is a longitudinal study following a sample of young people from Iowa,...
2011
Report
Despite Decline in Criminal Behavior, Young Adults Formerly in Care Arrested More than Peers
Young people transitioning from foster care to adulthood are at risk for numerous negative outcomes including criminal behavior and justice-system involvement....
2011
Report
No Impact for Youth Participating in an Independent Living-Employment Services Program
Evidence indicates that youth aging out of foster care often struggle with the transition to adulthood. One program to address these youth’s needs is the...
2011
Report
Educational and Economic Benefits Found for Foster Youth in Massachusetts Outreach Program
Studies show that the transition out of foster care and into independent living can be challenging for young adults. The Massachusetts Adolescent Outreach...
2011
Research
Extended Foster Care Delays but Does Not Prevent Homelessness
One of the challenges faced by young people aging out of foster care is finding a safe and affordable place to live. Before the Fostering Connections to Success...
2010
Report
College Enrollment and Graduation a Challenge for Former Foster Youth, Even with Extended Care
Foster youth entering adulthood have college aspirations like other young people their age. Unfortunately, for far too many foster youth, graduating from...
2010
Report
Coordinated Systems Key to Employment for Youth Formerly in State Care
Preparing youth for employment is a major goal of federal policies to help youth in foster care successfully transition into adulthood. This analysis suggests...
2010
Report
Parenting, Behavioral Health are Barriers to Extended Foster Care for Some Young People
The Fostering Connections Act extended eligibility for federally funded foster care to young people who meet certain eligibility requirements until their 21st...
2010
Report
Financial Benefits of Extending Foster Care Outweigh Costs to Government
This report examines the financial benefits of extending foster care to age 21.
2009
Report
Few Impacts for Youth Participating in Life Skills Training Program
Studies show that youth aging out of foster care encounter many challenges as they transition to adulthood. The Life Skills Training (LST) Program was designed...
2008
Report
Tutoring Program for Youth in Foster Care Shows Little Effect
In 1999, the John Chafee Foster Care Independence Program (CFCIP) allowed states more funding and flexibility to provide support to youth transitioning from...
2008
Report
Families and Child Welfare Caseworkers Disagree about Service Needs
This report shares the findings of a comprehensive evaluation of the Bureau of Milwaukee Child Welfare.
2008
Report
When Should the State Cease Parenting?
Prior to the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008, youth became ineligible for federally funded foster care when they turned 18...
2007
Report
Youth Who Run Away from Out-of-Home Care
Given child protective services’ responsibility to provide stability for children in their care, running away from out-of-home care is an event of great...
2005
Report
At Age 19, Youth Transitioning Out of Foster Care Face Multiple Challenges
The Midwest Study was designed to learn how young people fare as they age out of foster care. This report provides a snapshot of study participants at age 19.
2005
Report
Educational Experiences of Children in Out-of-Home Care
Schools are one of the primary institutions shaping children’s development, and successful school experiences increase the likelihood of their successful...
2004
Report
Conditions of Youth Preparing to Leave State Care
The Foster Care Independence Act of 1999 gave states more funding and greater flexibility to provide support to youth making the transition from being in foster...
2004