ABSTRACT

This study examined perceptions of youth in transition and recent foster care alumni, regarding how child welfare services and resources may have helped them to succeed, and whether their connections with other youth in transition and alumni contributed to their success. Success was conceptualized as educational achievement, employment and empowerment. Using a critical youth empowerment framework, connections were assessed for youth in transition and alumni as members of a community, using a construct of attitudes and behaviors demonstrating a collective approach to common goals. The study consisted of a quantitative analysis of secondary data published in 2013 by the Multi-Site Evaluation of Foster Youth Programs, examining the reported perceptions of over 1,200 young people who had experience in foster care. Findings showed an association between success and transition services (i.e. managing finances, mentoring), and resources (i.e. tuition, security deposits). Empowerment was evidenced by community action, leadership activities and expectations for success. Youth in transition rarely reported having a voice in evaluation of the relevance and helpfulness of the services they received. The input of youth in transition, welcomed as valuable consumer feedback, could enhance improvement of child welfare outcomes, and advance more empowered and successful foster care alumni.

摘要

这项研究调查了对转型中青年和最近的寄养校友的看法，有关儿童福利服务和资源如何帮助他们成功，以及他们与其他转型中青年和校友的联系是否有助于他们的成功。成功的概念是教育成就，就业和赋权。使用关键的青年赋权框架，以态度和行为的方式展示了为实现共同目标而采取的集体态度，从而评估了转型中青年和作为社区成员的校友之间的联系。这项研究包括对2013年《寄养青年计划的多站点评估》发布的二级数据的定量分析，目的是调查报告的对1,200多名有寄养经验的年轻人的看法。调查结果表明，成功与过渡服务（即管理财务，指导）与资源（即学费，保证金）之间存在关联。社区行动，领导活动和对成功的期望证明了赋权。转型中的青年很少报告有评价自己所接受服务的相关性和帮助性的声音。转型中青年的投入，作为有价值的消费者反馈而受到欢迎，可以增强儿童福利的成果，并促进更有能力和成功的寄养校友。转型中的青年很少报告有评价自己所接受服务的相关性和帮助性的声音。转型中青年的投入，作为有价值的消费者反馈而受到欢迎，可以增强儿童福利的成果，并促进更有能力和成功的寄养校友。转型中的青年很少报告有评价自己所接受服务的相关性和帮助性的声音。转型中青年的投入，作为有价值的消费者反馈而受到欢迎，可以增强儿童福利的成果，并促进更有能力和成功的寄养校友。