A Summary of Research about Practice, Policy, and Systems Change to Support Transition-Age Youth

The transition to adulthood is an especially challenging period for young people who are transitioning not only to adulthood, but also from foster care. Transition-age youth have a variety of needs, experiences, identities, characteristics, strengths, challenges, and plans for their lives. Individual, familial, external, and system contexts influence personal well-being, development, and the transition to adulthood. Across various key domains of well-being during emerging adulthood — including education, employment, housing, independent living, physical and reproductive health, mental health, and child welfare case outcomes — research provides insights into the experiences and well-being of young people transitioning to adulthood from foster care. Research also provides insight into the individual, familial, external, and system contexts that influence personal well-being, development, and the transition to adulthood.

This research summary provides a synthesis of key research and evidence about practice, policy, and systems across domains that influence young adults’ well-being and transitions to adulthood, as well as key narratives that appear in research about practice, policy, and systems contexts. The purpose of the research summary is to compile research about transition-age youth that can inform systems change and improvement efforts and promote well-being and positive outcomes for young people transitioning to adulthood from foster care.