Extended Foster Care Practice and Program Reform: Perspectives of Workers and Community Partners

Extended Foster Care (EFC) provides services and benefits on a voluntary basis to young adults leaving the foster care system without having attained legal permanency. In the US, more than 19,000 young adults transitioned out of foster care without achieving legal permanency in 2021. As states seek to improve supports to young adults eligible for EFC, it is important to identify institutional barriers and needed practice reforms. This study reports on analyses of qualitative focus group data gathered from workers (N = 24) and interviews with community practitioners (N = 14) as part of Washington state’s collaborative systems assessment of EFC. Data from transcripts were analyzed using qualitative thematic analysis of coded content. Rapid qualitative analysis allowed for efficient analysis and sorting of data to gather findings prior to the legislative session. Key themes identified related to (1) service and benefit gaps and needs, (2) organizational practice reforms, and (3) a need for culturally responsive services and a representative workforce. Specifically, workforce staff and community partners emphasized the need for EFC-specific units, developmentally tailored training, working from a clearly articulated practice model relevant to youth and young adults, the importance of reducing caseloads, recruitment and retention of a representative workforce, and more evidence-based practice options for EFC.