IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/cysrev/v33y2011i6p1012-1023.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Qualitative exploration of relationships with important non-parental adults in the lives of youth in foster care

Author

Listed:
  • Ahrens, Kym R.
  • DuBois, David Lane
  • Garrison, Michelle
  • Spencer, Renee
  • Richardson, Laura P.
  • Lozano, Paula

Abstract

Foster youth are at risk of poor adult outcomes. Research on the role of mentoring relationships for this population suggests the value of strategies that increase their access to adult sources of support, both while in foster care and as they reach adulthood. We conducted semi-structured, individual qualitative interviews with 23 former foster youth ages 18-25 regarding their relationships with supportive non-parental adults. We sought to identify factors that influence the formation, quality, and duration of these relationships and to develop testable hypotheses for intervention strategies. Findings suggest several themes related to relationship formation with non-parental adults, including barriers (e.g., youth's fears of being hurt) and facilitators (e.g., patience from the adult). Distinct themes were also identified relating to the ongoing development and longevity of these relationships. Youth also described multiple types of support and positive contributions to their development. Proposed intervention strategies include systematic incorporation of important non-parental adults into transition planning, enhanced training and matching procedures within formal mentoring programs, assistance for youth to strengthen their interpersonal awareness and skills, and the targeting of specific periods of need when linking youth to sources of adult support. Recommended research includes the development, pilot-testing, and evaluation of proposed strategies.

Suggested Citation

  • Ahrens, Kym R. & DuBois, David Lane & Garrison, Michelle & Spencer, Renee & Richardson, Laura P. & Lozano, Paula, 2011. "Qualitative exploration of relationships with important non-parental adults in the lives of youth in foster care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(6), pages 1012-1023, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:33:y:2011:i:6:p:1012-1023
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0190-7409(11)00017-X
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Montgomery, Paul & Donkoh, Charles & Underhill, Kristen, 2006. "Independent living programs for young people leaving the care system: The state of the evidence," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 28(12), pages 1435-1448, December.
    2. Munson, Michelle R. & Smalling, Susan E. & Spencer, Renée & Scott Jr., Lionel D. & Tracy, Elizabeth M., 2010. "A steady presence in the midst of change: Non-kin natural mentors in the lives of older youth exiting foster care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(4), pages 527-535, April.
    3. DuBois, D.L. & Silverthorn, N., 2005. "Natural mentoring relationships and adolescent health: Evidence from a national study," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 95(3), pages 518-524.
    4. Daining, Clara & DePanfilis, Diane, 2007. "Resilience of youth in transition from out-of-home care to adulthood," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(9), pages 1158-1178, September.
    5. Greeson, Johanna K.P. & Usher, Lynn & Grinstein-Weiss, Michal, 2010. "One adult who is crazy about you: Can natural mentoring relationships increase assets among young adults with and without foster care experience?," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(4), pages 565-577, April.
    6. Munson, Michelle R. & McMillen, J. Curtis, 2009. "Natural mentoring and psychosocial outcomes among older youth transitioning from foster care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(1), pages 104-111, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Zinn, Andrew, 2017. "Predictors of natural mentoring relationships among former foster youth," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 564-575.
    2. Greeson, Johanna K.P. & Thompson, Allison E. & Ali, Samira & Wenger, Rebecca Stern, 2015. "It's good to know that you got somebody that's not going anywhere: Attitudes and beliefs of older youth in foster care about child welfare-based natural mentoring," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 140-149.
    3. Cassarino-Perez, Luciana & Crous, Gemma & Goemans, Anouk & Montserrat, Carme & Sarriera, Jorge Castellà, 2018. "From care to education and employment: A meta-analysis," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 407-416.
    4. Sulimani-Aidan, Yafit, 2016. "In between formal and informal: Staff and youth relationships in care and after leaving care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 43-49.
    5. Thompson, Allison E. & Greeson, Johanna K.P. & Brunsink, Ashleigh M., 2016. "Natural mentoring among older youth in and aging out of foster care: A systematic review," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 40-50.
    6. Blakeslee, Jennifer E., 2015. "Measuring the support networks of transition-age foster youth: Preliminary validation of a social network assessment for research and practice," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 123-134.
    7. Best, Jared I. & Blakeslee, Jennifer E., 2020. "Perspectives of youth aging out of foster care on relationship strength and closeness in their support networks," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
    8. Kelly, Cara & Thornton, Anthony & Anthony, Elizabeth K. & Krysik, Judy, 2021. "“Love. Stability. Boundaries.” Kinship perspectives of social-emotional well-being of youth residing in out-of-home care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    9. Greeson, Johanna K.P. & Garcia, Antonio R. & Kim, Minseop & Thompson, Allison E. & Courtney, Mark E., 2015. "Development & maintenance of social support among aged out foster youth who received independent living services: Results from the Multi-Site Evaluation of Foster Youth Programs," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 1-9.
    10. Okland, Idun & Oterholm, Inger, 2022. "Strengthening supportive networks for care leavers: A scoping review of social support interventions in child welfare services," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    11. Lee, Chris & Berrick, Jill Duerr, 2014. "Experiences of youth who transition to adulthood out of care: Developing a theoretical framework," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 78-84.
    12. Sulimani-Aidan, Yafit & Tayri-Schwartz, Talia, 2021. "The role of natural mentoring and sense of belonging in enhancing resilience among youth in care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    13. Singer, Erin Rebecca & Berzin, Stephanie Cosner & Hokanson, Kim, 2013. "Voices of former foster youth: Supportive relationships in the transition to adulthood," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 35(12), pages 2110-2117.
    14. Blakeslee, Jennifer E. & Best, Jared I., 2019. "Understanding support network capacity during the transition from foster care: Youth-identified barriers, facilitators, and enhancement strategies," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 220-230.
    15. Nesmith, Ande & Christophersen, Kaitlin, 2014. "Smoothing the transition to adulthood: Creating ongoing supportive relationships among foster youth," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 1-8.
    16. Cushing, Gretta & Samuels, Gina Miranda & Kerman, Ben, 2014. "Profiles of relational permanence at 22: Variability in parental supports and outcomes among young adults with foster care histories," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 73-83.
    17. Doucet, Melanie M. & Greeson, Johanna K.P. & Eldeeb, Nehal, 2022. "Independent living programs and services for youth 'aging out' of care in Canada and the U.S.: A systematic review," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 142(C).
    18. Collins, Mary Elizabeth & Clay, Cassandra, 2009. "Influencing policy for youth transitioning from care: Defining problems, crafting solutions, and assessing politics," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(7), pages 743-751, July.
    19. Semanchin Jones, Annette & LaLiberte, Traci, 2013. "Measuring youth connections: A component of relational permanence for foster youth," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 35(3), pages 509-517.
    20. Greeson, Johanna K.P. & Usher, Lynn & Grinstein-Weiss, Michal, 2010. "One adult who is crazy about you: Can natural mentoring relationships increase assets among young adults with and without foster care experience?," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(4), pages 565-577, April.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Foster youth Mentor;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:33:y:2011:i:6:p:1012-1023. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/childyouth .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.