Challenges Faced by Youth Aging Out of Foster Care: Homelessness, Education, and Employment.

Authors

Verulava, T., Jorbenadze, R., Bedianashvili, G., & Dangadze, B. 

Type
Journal Article
Year published
2020
Journal
Euromentor Journal
Attachments
Document
Verulava_2020.pdf (983.05 KB)
Title

Challenges Faced by Youth Aging Out of Foster Care: Homelessness, Education, and Employment.

Volume and issue

11, 2

Abstract

Youth out of foster care can face various problems related to finding a housing, unemployment, low educational attainment or lack of interpersonal relationships. The goal of the survey is to study the problems of aging out of foster care. Within the qualitative research semi-structured interviews were conducted. The findings indicated that youth out of foster care felt unprepared for life and face some financial, social and psychological challenges which make transitioning into adulthood even more difficult for them. They have a problem of unstable housing, employment and community integration. The study identified very low involvement of the social worker during preparation to age out of foster care. As youth age out of foster care, social workers are tasked to work collaboratively with them to develop a transition care strategy that meets their needs and helps to promotion them into independent living. It's recommended to expanded foster care services to the age of 21 years with the goals of increasing educational stability, housing stability, and employment services as youth transition to adulthood.