PATHWAYS OF OLDER ADOLESCENTS OUT OF FOSTER-CARE - IMPLICATIONS FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING SERVICES

This article reports the results of a study of final discharge outcome s for an exit cohort of 2,653 foster youths in California who weve at least 17 years old at exit and had spent at least 18 months in cave be fore their final discharge. A logistic regression model of discharge s tatus was developed that expresses the effect of selected variables on the odds that a child exited foster cave via one of three routes: (1) by reaching the age of majority while still in cave or being legally emancipated to independent living; (2) by family reunification, placem ent with a relative or guardian, or adoption; or (3) by an ''unsuccess ful'' exit from cave. A youth's number of placements in foster care, t ime spent in care, and the type of placement the child last resided in weve all found to be related to final discharge status. The implicati ons of these findings for efforts to prepare foster youths for indepen dent living ave discussed. Of particular interest is the finding that a large proportion of youths who have spent a long time in foster care away from their families nevertheless return to their families at exi t from care.