Research Memos - TAY Hub

Employment And Earnings Outcomes Among Transition-age Youth In Care

Entering the workforce and securing a livable wage are essential milestones for emerging adults. Nevertheless, young people exiting foster care (also referred to as transition-age youth or TAY) report higher unemployment rates and suppressed wages in comparison to peers who did not live in foster care. Gender and racial disparities in TAY employment rates and earnings are prevalent, with women and youth of color earning significantly less than their White male peers. Several factors likely contribute to suppressed employment and earnings outcomes among TAY exiting care, including past trauma, mental health challenges, and limited social networks. Although California has one of the largest youth populations in care, little research has examined the employment and earnings outcomes of TAY in California. The CalYOUTH study, a 10-year evaluation that assessed the well-being and outcomes of California youth eligible for extended foster care, provides critical insight into the employment and earnings outcomes of youth exiting care. The enclosed report, Employment and Earnings Outcomes among Transition-Age Youth in Care, summarizes CalYOUTH’s findings on participating youths’ employment and earning outcomes and data from additional sources to compare CalYOUTH participants’ outcomes to those of other TAY with foster care experience and youth in California’s general population.

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Counties Matter: The Influence of County Context on Services and Outcomes for Transition-Age Youth in Care

In California, the state government sets policies and provides funding, while each of the 58 counties administers child welfare services. County-level factors can affect the availability of services and outcomes of transition-age youth. Still, little research has examined how county-level characteristics shape outcomes. To address this gap, the current study synthesizes findings from the California Youth Transition to Adulthood (CalYOUTH) study to examine county-level factors that shape youth’s time in care, service acquisition, and outcomes. Findings show that county demographic characteristics, housing availability, and collaborations between human services agencies significantly influence youth’s experiences and outcomes. Altogether, these results underscore the importance of considering local variation during the planning, provision, and evaluation of services for transition-age youth.

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Parents in Foster Care: Trends over time from the CalYOUTH Study

Although the rate of early parenting has continued to decline steadily through 2019, a large proportion of young people making the transition from foster care to adulthood become parents during adolescence and early adulthood. The Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 amended Title IV-E to extend the age of eligibility from 18 to 21. Because of the extension of care to age 21, child protective services provides services for a growing number of parents, and, consequently, their children. The purpose of this brief is to provide a summary of data collected on parents transitioning to adulthood from care across all four waves of the California Youth Transitions to Adulthood Study to inform the development of policies and programs for parenting transition-age youth. The study documents the rate of parenthood among young adults in care across ages and highlights that most TAY parents were living with their children. The findings suggest that CPS should prioritize the needs of parents who remain in care as they transition to adulthood alongside the needs of their children, in the process supporting the healthy development of two generations.

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Transition-Age Youth in Kinship Care: Trends over time from the CalYOUTH Study

Despite scholarly and programmatic investment in kinship care, little is known about the experience of transition-age youth (TAY) in foster care who live with relatives, be they kinship caregivers, birth or stepparents, siblings, partners, or non-relative extended family members. Understanding TAY’s relations with relatives as they transition out of foster care and into early adulthood can reveal opportunities to tailor services and programs to the needs of youth and their families. The present brief summarizes data about TAY’s connections with relatives collected across the four waves of the California Youth Transitions to Adulthood Study to inform the development of policies and programs targeting TAY and the relatives that play a fundamental role in their transition into adulthood. Results suggest policymakers and practitioners should leverage funding available through the Family First Prevention Services Act and other federal programs to develop and expand services targeting TAY and the kinship families that provide them with essential instrumental and emotional support.

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Psychotropic Medication Use and Attitudes Among Transition-Age Youth

Psychotropic medication use among transition-age youth (TAY) in foster care is a topic of substantial debate. While psychotropic medications can help TAY manage psychiatric symptoms, others share concerns that youth are administered these medications without sufficiently addressing the underlying causes of emotional and behavioral distress. Furthermore, youth may experience interruptions in psychotropic medication access upon exiting care. In order to make progress on these important issues, it is essential that practitioners, policymakers, and youth advocates first understand the prevalence of psychotropic medication use among TAY, as well as youth’s attitudes towards this class of medications. This memo summarizes data about TAY’s use of psychotropic medications across the four waves of the CalYOUTH Study. Our findings show (1) psychotropic medication use declined at the age of majority, (2) use did not differ by whether or not youth were in extended foster care, (3) youth who reported a behavioral health disorder were more likely to take psychotropic medications over time, and (4) the majority of youth that took psychotropic medication reported a positive or neutral view of medication. Results speak to the importance of seeking TAY input when making decisions related to psychotropic medication use, as well as the need for additional research to clarify why psychotropic medication use declines after youth reach the age of majority.

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