Project Description
Subject Summary, July 2008
Authors: Katharine Hill & Elizabeth Lightfoot
Youth with disabilities are disproportionately represented in the child welfare system. Transition outcomes for youth in special education and for youth in foster care are poor. In comparison to their same-age peers, youth served by both foster and special education are more likely to be unemployed or under-employed, to struggle with poverty and homelessness, and less likely to be enrolled in postsecondary education or training. Youth with disabilities transitioning from foster care need access to high quality, research-based transition supports and services, coordinated services across systems, and services that are free of negative perceptions of both disability and foster care. This summary presents a review of the literature on the transition of youth with disabilities from the foster care system, and findings from a small case study conducted on a transition program in a foster care agency.
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CASCW’s subject summaries were developed by affiliated faculty within the School of Social Work from 2004–2010. Child welfare-relevant evaluation findings, which include current policies and practices affecting Title IV-E eligible families and children, are incorporated into these supplemental training materials.
Each Subject Summary contains features such as discussion questions, selected references, additional resources, suggested guest speakers and a PowerPoint presentation.
