Employment And Earnings Outcomes Among Transition-Age Youth in Care
Entering the workforce and securing a livable wage are essential milestones for emerging adults. Nevertheless, young people exiting foster care (also referred to as transition-age youth or TAY) report higher unemployment rates and suppressed wages in comparison to peers who did not live in foster care. Gender and racial disparities in TAY employment rates and earnings are prevalent, with women and youth of color earning significantly less than their white male peers. Several factors likely contribute to suppressed employment and earnings outcomes among TAY exiting care, including past trauma, mental health challenges, and limited social networks. Although California has one of the largest youth populations in care, little research has examined the employment and earnings outcomes of TAY in California. The CalYOUTH study, a 10-year evaluation that assessed the well-being and outcomes of California youth eligible for extended foster care, provides critical insight into the employment and earnings outcomes of youth exiting care. The enclosed report, Employment and Earnings Outcomes among Transition-Age Youth in Care, summarizes CalYOUTH’s findings on participating youths’ employment and earnings outcomes and leverages data from additional sources to compare CalYOUTH participants’ outcomes to those of other TAY with foster care experience and youth in California’s general population.