BUSSW Researchers Investigate the Impact of the Fostering Connections Act
Youth aging out of foster care face a heightened risk of homelessness, a pattern with far-reaching consequences for their future stability and success. The 2008 Fostering Connections Act extended foster care eligibility to age 21, but understanding its effectiveness is crucial to providing a safety net for this population. A new study by Profs. Thomas Byrne and Mary Elizabeth Collins and doctoral student Adrianna Spindle-Jackson from BU School of Social Work found evidence that the Fostering Connections Act has reduced the youth homeless population, which includes former foster youth. It is the first study to use a unique data source and complex analysis to assess the link between the legislation and the outcome of homelessness.
Positive Long-Term Effect of Extended Foster Care
The study found that after a state extends foster care to age 21, there is no significant reduction in youth homelessness in the first year or two. However, by the fourth year after the policy change, homelessness rates significantly decline, and this effect continues into the fifth and sixth years. Specifically, implementing extended foster care reduced youth homelessness by 23% four years after the policy change, a lagged effect the research team anticipated.
Impact on Specific Homelessness Categories
The reduction in homelessness was primarily observed among youth who were homeless as individuals, rather than those homeless as part of a family. The study also found that the reduction was more significant in sheltered homelessness than unsheltered homelessness. Importantly, no evidence showed that extended foster care impacted homelessness rates among those outside the 18-24 age range, suggesting that the observed effects are specific to the target population of the Fostering Connections Act. However, the authors suggest that this act could serve as a model for additional supports for other populations.
Future Research
While this study provides evidence of the Fostering Connections Act’s effectiveness, more research is needed to determine which interventions and supports from the legislation are the most impactful. “Future studies can and should build on our findings and examine the impact of the use of funds to extend the age of foster care eligibility under the Fostering Connections Act on other population-level outcomes for youth aging out of foster care,” say the authors. “Given the challenges [they] face in terms of employment, education, health, and involvement with the criminal justice system, investigating whether extending the age of foster eligibility impacts population-level outcomes in all these domains should be explored in future research.”
As states continue to implement and refine these policies, the study suggests that targeted interventions can play a crucial role in reducing youth homelessness and promoting long-term stability for vulnerable young adults.