www.postersession.com

The Department of Health and Human Services defines foster care as “24-hour substitute care for children placed away from their parents or guardians and for whom the state agency has placement and care responsibility” (HHS; 2000). In addition to the familiar single foster family home model, placements also include, but are not limited to, group homes, emergency shelters, large residential facilities, and homes of relatives. By nature, the foster care system has many layers which were created to raise the accountability among service providers in order to promote the success of those transitioning out of foster care in areas such as independence, educational achievement, and employment attainment. However, research suggests that this has not been the case (Ward, 2016).

In the United States, adolescents transitioning into adulthood are expected to complete school, become independent, and become a contributor to society. “Aging out” is the term used to describe adolescents aged 18 years or older who are no longer to eligible to remain in foster care, however this age differs from state to state. In particular, the process of aging out poses many problems to those leaving foster care (Ward, 2016).

Significance and Key Concepts For OT

Foster the Future: Independence Among Youth Aging Out of Foster Care

Patrick Martinucci, OTS & Sean McDonald, OTS

The need has been identified for the development of programs that address the challenges faced by youth transitioning out of foster care. Specifically, client-centered occupation-based programs that increase the chances of equipping this population with the necessary skills to live independently, seek employment, and maintain health and well-being would be of value to the population (Ward, 2016). Programs like these would help empower those aging out of foster care and effect positive social change (AOTA, 2007).

The foster care system, by its nature, tends to marginalize its “members” by labeling them different than other children. Some studies have shown that a child in foster care can average up to 15 different placements throughout their youth, which ultimately disrupts occupation as they move from placement to placement (Ward, 2009). Kronenberg and Pollard (2005) base the notion of occupational apartheid on the idea that some people in society are deemed of different economic and social value than others, which leads to groups of people being pushed to the outskirts of mainstream society, thus affecting their social and occupational participation. This is uniquely true for foster children, made more relevant by the fact that large numbers of children in the foster care system are burdened with a variety of stigmas, including their minority status and physical and emotional impairments. These stigmas in turn, often isolate them from the community as a whole.

Abuse and neglect, such as those found in many foster care settings, over long periods of time can impact biological stress systems that lead to alterations in brain maturation and result in maladaptive outcomes. Childhood stress and trauma have also been found to alter the development of the limbic system, thus affecting emotion and memory (Avery & Freundlich, 2009). These negative outcomes, coupled with the fact that most youth at age 18 are not developmentally prepared to live independently, contribute to the occupational injustice this group endures.

The barriers to the development of independent living have been identified, however to date there has been “no individualized, occupation-based, client-centered” treatment approaches to fill this need. Data on this issue has indicated that youth preparing to exit foster care not only lack the knowledge of available services, but also the motivation to seek out services available to them, the confidence to ask about these services, or find that the services they do know about are not meaningful to them. Occupational therapists are well suited to meet these needs, but traditionally have not been a part of foster care systems (Ward, 2016).

According to the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework, occupational therapists have been trained to provide interventions at an individual level, targeting highly relevant “client factors such as emotional regulation and self-concept; performance skills, such as process and social interaction skills… activities of daily living, instrumental activities of daily living, education, and work” (Ward, 2016). Occupational therapists are well equipped to design more attractive and meaningful programs that will allow these youths to gain the skills necessary that will ultimately lead to a greater quality of life as they transition into adulthood and living independently.

Introduction Significance and Key Concepts For

Disability Studies

BackgroundEach year, more than 250,000 new children in

the United States are placed in foster care (Ward, 2016.) Research suggests that approximately 50% of children in foster care have at least one psychiatric disorder, and 33% have three or more psychiatric disorders. Examples of these disorders are oppositional defiance, anxiety, depression, ADD/ADHD, PTSD, learning disorders, and many other disorders that require medications and continued management in order to be effective. Most youth aging out of foster care lack financial resources as well as other familial supports. This in turn places them at higher risk for negative outcomes such as low education attainment, homelessness, unemployment, and financial difficulties, as well as the mental and physical health issues mentioned before. Research shows youth in the foster care system have increased absenteeism, disciplinary referrals, and behavioral problems, in addition to lower grades than compared to the general K-12 population (Ward, 2016).

A Michigan Alumni study examining demographics and foster care youth revealed that foster care alumni are more likely to complete high school by means of a general equivalency diploma (GED) rather than a typical diploma. This study also found that only one third of the alumni (32.2%) reported having a household income greater than the Federal Poverty Level (White et. al, 2012). Furthermore, lack of independence, mental health, and vocational  skills have led to a steep increase in foster care alumni receiving services as adults though the criminal justice system (Ward, 2016).  

Conclusion

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Figure 3

Disabilities Displayed by Children in Foster Care

Figure 1

Figure 2

Source: http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/16/opinion/soronen-foster-children/

Source: http://www.theoilyfosterparent.com/2015/09/20/why-are-we-letting-children-age-out-orphans/