Raising the Bar

RESEARCH AND POLICY BRIEF

Building system- and provider-level evidence to drive equitable education and employment outcomes for youth in extended foster care

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RAISING THE BAR

Building system- and provider-level evidence to drive equitable education and employment outcomes for youth in extended foster care

Download Report

Armed with a 20+ year history of providing services and support to transition age foster youth, First Place for Youth is now using precision analytics and data science to make new predictions about how we better serve this vulnerable population in the United States. This research brief reﬂects our commitment and our passion for driving a more equitable foster-care system.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Youth who exit foster care at 18 years old are at tremendous risk for ﬁnancial & life-altering hardships.
Youth who engage in extended care have reduced rates of homelessness, unemployment, and imprisonment.
However, evidence is lacking on how extended care services aid in education goals & an ability to earn a living wage.
Successful self-sufficiency timelines in extended care range from 1.5-5.5 years.
This wide range suggests youth would benefit from a more personalized approach with customized milestones & goals.

First Place build the Youth Success Roadmap Tool to leverage historical data & build personalized roadmaps.
When one participant group received “what works,” their chances of earning a living- wage appeared to rise from 20% to 80%.
Most significant post-care living-wage predictors: age at entry, number of prior placements, and history of group care.
Top High Impact Goals Identified: career progress, good household maintenance, relationship stability, and public assistance.
Top High Impact Services Identified: length of stay, good tenancy, and engagement with care manager and employment specialists.

Youth who exit foster care at 18 years old are at tremendous risk for ﬁnancial & life-altering hardships.
Youth who engage in extended care have reduced rates of homelessness, unemployment, and imprisonment.
However, evidence is lacking on how extended care services aid in education goals & an ability to earn a living wage.
Successful self-sufficiency timelines in extended care range from 1.5-5.5 years.
This wide range suggests youth would beneﬁt from a more personalized approach with customized milestones & goals.
First Place build the Youth Success Roadmap Tool to leverage historical data & build personalized roadmaps.
When one participant group received “what works,” their chances of earning a living- wage appeared to rise from 20% to 80%.
Most significant post-care living-wage predictors: age at entry, number of prior placements, and history of group care.
Top High Impact Goals Identified: career progress, good household maintenance, relationship stability, and public assistance.
Top High Impact Services Identified: length of stay, good tenancy, and engagement with care manager and employment specialists.

WHY THIS MATTERS

FOR YOUTH AND ORGANIZATIONS IN FOSTER CARE

The wealth of historical data we possess – and continue to collect – can help us solve the puzzle, ensuring these youth have a fair and equitable shot as they head into adulthood.

FOR NONPROFITS IN GENERAL

Tech companies have been using data to personalize experiences for decades. Nonprofits have a responsibility to raise the bar to improve outcomes for transition-age youth and all the populations we serve.

RAISING THE BAR WEBINAR

This Webinar discusses key findings of the research brief with implications for practice and policy reform. Jane Schroeder, Chief Policy Officer for First Place for Youth, will join an esteemed panel of experts to discuss how foster care organizations can leverage data and evidence to help inform policy recommendations and service interventions to better serve foster youth when they turn 18.

Webinar Page & Recording

THE REALITY OF FOSTER LIFE AT 18

25,000

youth age out of
foster care each year

40%

of these youth will
experience homelessness
by age 19

95%

will not graduate
from college

With every year of extended care, we improve the long-term odds of success for foster youth. We believe in honoring the unique history of each individual and using our data to craft customized service & support plans that really work for them.

“When I look at the future of our organization, I see First Place for Youth as connective tissue between policy, technology and improved outcomes for foster youth across the United States.”

DR. ERIKA VAN BUREN, VICE PRESIDENT OF LEARNING, EVALUATION & STRATEGIC IMPACT AT FIRST PLACE FOR YOUTH

“When I look at the future of our organization, I see First Place for Youth as connective tissue between policy, technology and improved outcomes for foster youth across the United States.”

DR. ERIKA VAN BUREN, VICE PRESIDENT OF LEARNING, EVALUATION & STRATEGIC IMPACT AT FIRST PLACE FOR YOUTH