Graduation Year

2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree

Ph.D.

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Degree Granting Department

Social Work

Major Professor

Sondra J. Fogel, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Jerome T. Galea, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Christopher Simmons, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Sandra Stone, Ph.D.

Keywords

Child Welfare, Dominant Narratives, Ethic of Care, Qualitative Research, Thematic Analysis

Abstract

There are approximately 400,000 children in foster care in the United States and, each year, more than 20,000 reach the age of majority without achieving permanency, also known as aging out (Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2022a). Research has consistently called attention to the negative effects of foster care on youth including issues relating to substance use, housing instability, educational obstacles, and mental health concerns (Forkey & Szilagyi, 2014; Sarri et al., 2016). These negative outcomes are often even more pronounced for young adults aging out of foster care and transitioning into adulthood (Haggman-Laitila et al., 2019). Despite the decades of research and the stories gathered from former foster youth, the child welfare system also suffers from systemic obstacles that lead to calls for reform (Zeitlin et al., 2023).

This doctoral study applied a feminist standpoint lens to address the disconnect between the realities of aging out of foster care and the social work research agenda. Qualitative methods of in-depth interviewing and narrative inquiry were used to address this gap in knowledge and included the identification themes to provide a deeper understanding of the lived experiences of former foster youth during their transition to adulthood. The five major themes of respect, belonging, abandonment, being saved, and pride, along with a minor theme of Covid-19, were consistent with prior research. This indicates a need for alternative research methods and different theoretical foundations to elevate the voices of former foster youth. Using an ethic of care also helped identify ongoing issues of mother blame in the child welfare.

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