Foster youth transitions to adulthood: a longitudinal view of youth leaving care.
The well-being of youths who age out of the out-of-home care system in the U.S. has long been of great interest to child welfare practitioners and policymakers. In spite of this interest, however, very little is known about how these youths fare when they must make the transition to independence. The Foster Youth Transitions to Adulthood Study is tracking the experiences of 141 young adults who left care in Wisconsin in 1995 and 1996. This article describes these youths and their experiences in the first 12 to 18 months after leaving care. The findings suggest that the transition to independence is a difficult time for youth leaving the out-of-home care system.
Courtney
M E
ME
Institute for Research on Poverty, University of Wisconsin School of Social Work, Madison 53706-1510, USA.
Piliavin
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Grogan-Kaylor
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A
Nesmith
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A
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D005581:Foster Home Care / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000523:psychology; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D012944:Social Support; D012946:Social Welfare; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014922:Wisconsin / Q000453:epidemiology