Objective:
Foster care is one of the most far-reaching interventions targeted at children who are abused or neglected by their parents or who are involved in anti-social behavior. Given the large number of children in foster care and the high cost of child welfare, research on long-term outcomes of former recipients of foster care has been a worldwide trending topic in the past decades. Nevertheless, research that combines results on different extents (education, employment, mental health, substance abuse, criminality and housing) is sparse. This literature study provides an overview of the most significant outcomes in international research. This information can advise those who work with (former) foster youth on supporting them through youth-care, preparing them for emancipation and developing programs that meet their needs more closely.
Method:
Several databases were searched for the period of 2004-2015 using the following combination of search terms: foster care, foster alumni, foster children; outcomes, long-term perspectives and results. This resulted in a total amount of 60 articles, used to write a detailed literature review.
Results:
Overall young adults with foster care experience, encounter considerable difficulties. Research indicates that they mostly have lower educational attainments than their peers from the general population. Former foster children are obliged to be independent at a much younger age than their peers: trying to find a place to live, working hard to afford this place and combining this with further studies seems to be a stumbling block. However, not obtaining a degree has many negative consequences. Former foster children mostly have lower annual earnings and are often unemployed even until the age of 30. Furthermore, it was found that former foster children have an increased risk for alcohol and substance abuse and are more involved in criminal behavior. Former foster children experience a high lack of stability, as well in jobs, in housing as in social environment. However, considering the circumstances, they are mostly satisfied with their life.
Conclusion:
The results are clear, as well as troubling. Our findings suggest that foster alumni continue to struggle on multiple areas even up to age 30. We must keep in mind that not only their history of foster care, but also their history of neglect and abuse plays an important role in their outcomes. In addition, they often grew up in low-socioeconomic circumstances and experienced chronic poverty and dysfunctional and disrupted family situations. All these problems are known to predispose them to poorer outcomes. Furthermore, foster children leave care at a vulnerable age. To help foster children to a brighter future, we must adapt our support strategies. Research indicates that having a steady home base during the time in foster care and establishing a foothold in education or employment are important ingredients for a successful transition to adulthood. The latter should be combined with a steady social support figure who can support the former foster child when needed, even until an older age. To define the needs of Flemish former foster children, a five-year follow-up study is organized in Flanders, starting in April 2016.
