Efforts to evaluate foster care outcomes must avoid systematic exclusion of particular groups. Al... more Efforts to evaluate foster care outcomes must avoid systematic exclusion of particular groups. Although often unrecognized as such, youth with disabilities are highly overrepresented in the U.S. foster care system, and yet youth with some disabilities, including those with intellectual, serious emotional, and physical impairments may be underrepresented in research and evaluation studies evaluating foster care outcomes. The recruitment and retention of youth with various disabilities in such studies can be impeded by under-identification of disability and relatively high placement and school mobility. Furthermore, youth with various disabilities may experience more disappointing outcomes than foster youth overall, underscoring the importance of including these youth in outcome tracking efforts. This is especially relevant given the recent implementation of the National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD), which requires that state child welfare agencies gather baseline information about youth in foster care at age 17, and then survey outcomes at 19 and 21. To promote the full participation of foster youth with disabilities in such outcome evaluation, this paper describes successful strategies for identifying and retaining participants that were used in three separate longitudinal intervention studies. These strategies include the systematic recruitment of foster youth by special education status, and creative use of validated tracking and retention strategies incorporating minor accommodations as needed.
ABSTRACT Very little in-depth information is available on the educational and transition experien... more ABSTRACT Very little in-depth information is available on the educational and transition experiences, perceptions, and actions of youth in foster care who are receiving special education services. This paper describes a qualitative study that followed seven youth in foster care receiving special education services, ages 15 to 18, for six to nine months. The youth were interviewed an average of seven times and they were invited to take photographs and make journal entries depicting their lives. The findings documented the complex challenges that youth experience, including educational struggles, difficulty in clarifying their relationships with biological family, and having to make major decisions in the context of uncertainty and inadequate and sometimes restrictive supports and services. Having consistent and committed adult support, knowledge of options and services, and opportunities, skills, and confidence to take positive action toward goals emerged as important themes in the youth's success.
Efforts to evaluate foster care outcomes must avoid systematic exclusion of particular groups. Al... more Efforts to evaluate foster care outcomes must avoid systematic exclusion of particular groups. Although often unrecognized as such, youth with disabilities are highly overrepresented in the U.S. foster care system, and yet youth with some disabilities, including those with intellectual, serious emotional, and physical impairments may be underrepresented in research and evaluation studies evaluating foster care outcomes. The recruitment and retention of youth with various disabilities in such studies can be impeded by under-identification of disability and relatively high placement and school mobility. Furthermore, youth with various disabilities may experience more disappointing outcomes than foster youth overall, underscoring the importance of including these youth in outcome tracking efforts. This is especially relevant given the recent implementation of the National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD), which requires that state child welfare agencies gather baseline information about youth in foster care at age 17, and then survey outcomes at 19 and 21. To promote the full participation of foster youth with disabilities in such outcome evaluation, this paper describes successful strategies for identifying and retaining participants that were used in three separate longitudinal intervention studies. These strategies include the systematic recruitment of foster youth by special education status, and creative use of validated tracking and retention strategies incorporating minor accommodations as needed.
ABSTRACT Very little in-depth information is available on the educational and transition experien... more ABSTRACT Very little in-depth information is available on the educational and transition experiences, perceptions, and actions of youth in foster care who are receiving special education services. This paper describes a qualitative study that followed seven youth in foster care receiving special education services, ages 15 to 18, for six to nine months. The youth were interviewed an average of seven times and they were invited to take photographs and make journal entries depicting their lives. The findings documented the complex challenges that youth experience, including educational struggles, difficulty in clarifying their relationships with biological family, and having to make major decisions in the context of uncertainty and inadequate and sometimes restrictive supports and services. Having consistent and committed adult support, knowledge of options and services, and opportunities, skills, and confidence to take positive action toward goals emerged as important themes in the youth's success.
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Papers by A. Del Quest