These kinds of studies are important for present and future agencies because a fuller understanding of shortcomings -- and strengths -- in policy and judgment can lead to better care and more productive lives for alumni of foster care. When visited and surveyed, many of the 659 individuals (alumni) had completed high school not in formal education but via a GED; hence one-third of the 659 had incomes at or below the poverty level and "more than one in five" had been homeless following foster care (Pecora, et al., 2006, p. 1459). The Northwest Foster Care Alumni Study investigated the lives of alumni who were under foster care (in one of three agencies) from 1988 to 1998; alumni had to have been placed for 12 or more months between the ages of 14 to 18. Over half were "people of color"; 15.7% were Native American or Alaska Natives; and 5.8% were Asian or Pacific Islander; the average age was 24.2 years and 60.5% were women (p. 1465). Case records were read by "raters…with no knowledge of the hypotheses of the study" and "trained interviewers" from the University of Michigan conducted the interviews. Of the 659 alumni, 479 were actually interviewed. There is not room on this page for all the results, but "nearly one-third…reported 10 or more school changes from elementary through high school" (p. 1469). The data (p. 1470) reveals that: 89.1% had access to tutoring but only 48.1% uses tutors; two out of five alumni received "some education beyond high school" but only 20.6% of those received a degree or certificate and only 1 in 50 received a Bachelor's degree (that is 2.7% of alumni; 24.4% of the general population completes a Bachelor's). How many said they...
(2008). Primary factors related to multiple placements for children in out-of-
From being exposed to such an unhealthy environment at an impressionable age, many negative effects occur (Weldon, 2001). This is because since more children are entering foster care in the early years of life when brain growth and development are most active. The younger a child may be, psychological effects become even more profound, and during the first 3 to 4 years of life, many traits are established, strengthened,
Foster Care Community Assessment: Foster Care Youth Needs What is a community assessment? A community assessment is a process by which a collaborative partnership gathers information on the current strengths, concerns, needs, and conditions of children, families, and the community. The information comes from many sources -- especially parents and family members -- and is elicited by many techniques, including interviews, focus groups, and scanning demographic data collected by local agencies. Because
A large number of these youth are not prepared to be independent, regardless of their maturity level; they do not have the skills and services in place to do so. Having to live on one's own maximizes the stresses and personal challenges and requires skills that are even difficult for those who have never been in foster care. Not only are these young adults moving to independence without positive support,
foster children face, especially when they become emancipated and begin to live life on their own. It has often been suggested that many more African-American children are in foster care than are children of other races. In order to understand whether or not this is accurate, a thorough review of available literature on the topic is necessary. Literature on this topic will include statistics, gender differences, and cultural diversity. The
Research Paper: Challenges with Younger Youth Aging Out of Foster CareIntroductionAlthough well intentioned, the foster care system often places youth in a precarious position once they age out of the program. Evidence suggest that foster care youth often experience trouble securing stable housing, difficulty in juggling work and school responsibilities, and overall healthy development. These elements also harm foster care youth in their ability to properly matriculate into society. Other
(Toro, 2008) Toro states that policy makers have only recently begun to recognize the needs of these youth after aging. Statistics show that in the area of employment: (1) most respondents had worked since leaving foster care; (2) on average respondents were unemployed only 48% of the time since leaving foster care; (3) the average monthly income when working equaled approximately $598. (Toro, Education statistics show that: (1) 41% graduated
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