Memo from CalYOUTH: Early Findings on Extended Foster Care and Legal Permanency
As states have begun enacting legislation permitting foster youth to remain in care until age 21, concerns have emerged about whether this extended care could reduce their likelihood of reunification, adoption, or guardianship. Does extended care decrease the sense of urgency among child welfare providers and court personnel to push for legal permanency or increase reluctance to become adoptive parents or guardians if it might risk losing benefits for foster youth? This study considered how older adolescents exited foster care in California in the extended care era, with findings showing that indeed, fewer youth are leaving care before age 18. However, the analyses suggest that this reduction is not linked to fewer exits to legal permanency but rather a shift away from less desirable exits before age 18 like emancipation or running away.