https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5929-7716
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ABSTRACT
This paper draws on data collected from two of the most extensive longitudinal studies of care leavers in the US. The Midwest Study (2003–2011) included 732 youths in foster care in three Midwestern states, and the CalYOUTH Study (2012–present) includes 727 youths in California foster care. The paper has three objectives: (1) describe trends in secondary and postsecondary educational attainment at different ages; (2) summarise findings on predictors of educational attainment; and (3) summarise findings on the impact of extended foster care (EFC) on educational attainment. Results from these two studies show that by age 21, 77–85% of care leavers finish a secondary credential and 31–52% enrol in college. By age 25, about 8% have earned a college degree. Results from multivariate analyses find that youths’ educational background and parental status were consistently associated with later educational attainment. Specific aspects of social support also influenced college outcomes. Life demands after enrolling in college (e.g. employment, parenthood) played a more influential role in college degree attainment than did aspects of youths’ background. Characteristics of colleges also predicted youths’ odds of degree completion. Finally, existing evidence suggests that EFC promotes secondary credential completion and college entry, but not college persistence or degree completion.
Acknowledgements
The CalYOUTH Study is funded by grants from the following foundations: the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, the Walter S. Johnson Foundation, the Zellerbach Family Foundation, the William T. Grant Foundation, the Stuart Foundation, the Annie E. Casey Foundation. In addition to the funders listed below, the authors wish to thank their public agency partners, the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) and the County Welfare Directors Association of California. The findings reported herein were performed with the permission of the CDSS. The opinions and conclusions expressed herein are solely those of the authors and should not be considered as representing the policy of the collaborating agency or any agency of the California government.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
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Notes on contributors
Nathanael Okpych
Nathanael Okpych is an Assistant Professor in the University of Connecticut’s School of Social Work. He studies the transition to adulthood for youth in foster care, and his research focuses on postsecondary education access and attainment, mental health, and social support. He earned a PhD from the School of Social Service Administration at the University of Chicago, and holds master’s degrees in biostatistics and epidemiology (Chicago), social work (Rutgers), and clinical psychology (Duquesne). Nathanael’s professional experience includes providing mental health services to youth in residential, school, and community settings, as well as working for several years in college residence life.
Mark Courtney
Mark Courtney is the Samuel Deutsch Professor in the University of Chicago’s School of Social Service Administration. His fields of special interest are child welfare policy and services, the connection between child welfare services and other institutions serving vulnerable populations, and the professionalisation of social work. His current work includes studies of the adult functioning of former foster children, experimental evaluation of independent living services for foster youth, reunification of foster children with their families, and the influence of juvenile courts on the operation of the child welfare system.
