Foster Resources, Education, and Empowerment

Alexandra Beddow-Weeks, Ellie Jadin, Mallory Kujanek, Taylor Savage

Short Clips
Noel Anaya, 21, talks about his aging out experience the day before his last court appearance. 1:57.
https://youtu.be/itjN34bU_pk

Short clip on statistics of what happens after aging out. 1:00.

https://vimeo.com/48780930

Jamal Robinson aged out at 21 and this is him talking about his homelessness and his org. 2:36.
https://vimeo.com/67188397

PSA for Jim Casey Youth org. 30 secs.

https://vimeo.com/43135529

An unrealistic portrayal of how foster homes help teenagers. 30 secs.

https://youtu.be/SdNe6Iox4Hk
Source: https://inspirelifeskills.org/the-problem/the-facts/
 Extreme Circumstances for Foster Youth in the US
Upon Aging out...

Adolescent Pregnancy

Homelessness

Photo by getty images

 Adolescent Pregnancy in Foster Youth
Foster Girls are 6x more likely to become pregnant than their non-foster
counterparts
Adverse childhood experiences correlate with high rates of adolescent pregnancy

Young mothers aging

out of foster care have
limited economic and
family support and
resources
Of 30,339 foster girls,
18.3% (5,567) gave
birth for the first time
before reaching 20
years old1 PHOTO BY STUDIO FIRMA VIA STOCKSY
Adolescent
Pregnancy Contd
A Conscious Decision
To feel adult2
To solidify romantic
relationship2
To form emotional
connection with a baby2

Source: https://www.guttmacher.org/gpr/2011/06/teen-pregnancy-among-young-women-foster-care-primer
Homelessness

Approximately 20,000 of youth age-out of the foster care system each year, often without
positive familial support or any family connection at all.3
It is estimated that 65% leave foster care without a stable place to live.3
One study of 100 former foster youth in Nevada up to 3 years after emancipation:
36% lived on the streets or in shelters
35% had moved at least 5 times5
About half of all former foster youth attempt some form of independent living immediately
after exiting foster care4
Source: https://www.dshs.wa.gov/sites/default/files/SESA/rda/documents/research-7-106.pdf
 Barriers to Housing
We Plan to Assist With
Inadequate Income/Ability to Pay Rent
Lack of Relationships with Supportive
Adults
Early Parenthood
Lack of Preparation For or Assistance
With Transitioning to Independent
Living

Photo courtesy of The Red Zone.

https://redzonesolutions.wordpress.com/tag/foster-care/
Mitigation: What Has Worked
Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care
(MTFC)6:
Targeted delinquency
Pregnancy reduced to 26.9% vs. 46.9%
(control group) in two year follow up 6
Less restrictive environment
Implications for school programs?

Successfully reduced instances of adolescent

pregnancy in Foster girls
 What Worked
Priority Housing:
AB-1393
Government measure
AB-12
Independent living
programs like Chafee
Foster Care
Independence Program
aid former foster youth
in achieving self-
sufficiency.7
The Teen Project: LA;
Transitional and drop-in
housing8
What Needs Work
Life Skills Training INC: Supports aged out youth find jobs,
provides housing assistance, teach them life skills, as well as provide them
mentoring, healthcare, and counseling9. Sounds great right?
Requirements to access this program9:
Prospective participants must be emancipating out of foster care or choosing to stay in
care under AB12 and have Inspire approved as a SILP.
Homeless youth without family support.
Must enter the program before they are 22 years old.
They must have completed GED or High School diploma.
They must fill out the Inspire application online including attachments and participate in
an interview.
The youth accepted into the program will demonstrate a desire to make positive life
choices and motivation to attend college/vocational school, work part-time and
participate in all Inspire training and mentoring sessions.
All participants will sign a contract that will detail what is expected from the participant
and what services they can expect to receive from Inspire Life Skills Training, Inc.
OUR PLAN: Life Skills Foster Resource Center
Urban Areas
Incentivize Attendance: F.F.Y.
Partner with retail centers, grocery stores, etc.
Teach money handling, employment strategies,
communication skills, housing applications, college
applications
Hire alumni from foster care
 References/Resources/Appendice
s
1 King, B., & Van Wert, M. (2017). Predictors of early childbirth among females in foster care. Journal of Adolescent
Health.
2
Boustani, M. M., Frazier, S. L., Hartley, C., Meinzer, M., & Hedemann, E. (2015). Perceived benefits and proposed solutions
for teen pregnancy: Qualitative interviews with youth care workers. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 85(1), 80-92.
doi:http://dx.doi.org.oca.ucsc.edu/10.1037/ort0000040

3
O'Neale, S. (2015, September 16). Foster Care and Homelessness. Retrieved May 04, 2017, from
http://www.fosterfocusmag.com/articles/foster-care-and-homelessness
4
Casey Family Programs. (2004). Assessing the effects of foster care: Early results from the casey national alumni study.
The Foster Care Alumni Studies. Retrieved from https://www.casey.org/media/AlumniStudy_US_Report_Full.pdf
5
Dworsky, A., Dillman, K., Dion, R. M., Coffee-Borden, B., & Rosenau, M. (2012). Housing for Youth Aging Out of Foster
Care: A Review of the Literature and Program Typology. SSRN Electronic Journal. doi:10.2139/ssrn.2112278
 References/Resources/Appendice
s
6
Kerr, D. C. R., Chamberlain, P., & Leve, L. D. (2009). Pregnancy rates among juvenile justice girls in two randomized
controlled trials of multidimensional treatment foster care. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 77(3)
588-593.
DOI: 10.1037/a0015289

7
Chafee, J. (2012). John H. Chafee foster care independence program. Retrieved from
https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/resource/chafee-foster-care-program

8
Burns, L. (2017). The teen project. Retrieved from http://theteenproject.com/about.asp

9
Inspire Life Skills Training, Inc. (2016). Our program. Retrieved from
https://inspirelifeskills.org/the-solution/requirements/

10
Shah, M., Liu, Q., Mancuso, D., Marshall, D., Felver, B. Lucenko, B., & Huber, A., (2015). Youth at risk of
homelessness. Retrieved from https://www.dshs.wa.gov/sites/default/files/SESA/rda/documents/research-7-106.pdf