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.