Session: Building Human Capital for Transition-Age Youth In Foster Care (Society for Social Work and Research 31st Annual Conference)

Postsecondary education and stable employment are two central building blocks of human capital and precursors of long-term economic mobility. Yet, transition-age youth with foster care experience (TAY) face persistent barriers to both. TAY are less likely than their peers without foster care experience to enroll in and complete college. Indeed, only 8-12% of TAY attain a college degree compared to 49% of same-aged peers (Okpych et al., 2025). TAY employment rates are 15% and 31% lower than those of other young people without foster care involvement (Gómez & Courtney, 2024; Courtney & Dworsky, 2006; Gypen et al., 2017; Hook & Courtney, 2011; Stewart et al., 2014).

Although these persistent disparities are well-documented, critical gaps remain in our understanding of TAY’s human capital outcomes, particularly among those attending community college, navigating periods of economic crisis, and raising a child. Addressing these gaps is essential to advancing policies that strengthen educational and workforce pathways. This symposium features four studies based in California, the state with the largest population of young people living in foster care, to examine factors that shape human capital development among TAY.

Paper 1 evaluates the effects of two major campus-based support programs, NextUp and Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) on the first-year outcomes for TAY attending California community colleges. Using linked administrative data from California’s child welfare and community college systems, findings show that program participation is associated with higher GPAs and retention in the first year, highlighting the importance of institutional supports during this critical period. Paper 2 examines how social support and social strain influence postsecondary persistence using longitudinal data from the California Youth Transitions to Adulthood Study (CalYOUTH). The study explores static and changing social relationships during early adulthood, offering new insight into how interpersonal dynamics shape educational trajectories over time. Paper 3 also leverages CalYOUTH data to investigate longitudinal differences between parenting and non-parenting TAY. Findings reveal that early parenthood is associated with sustained disparities in educational attainment, employment, and reliance on public assistance, underscoring the need for targeted supports for parenting youth. Paper 4 analyzes employment outcomes for TAY during the Great Recession using linked administrative data. Results show that the Recession exacerbated employment inequities, with disproportionate impacts among subgroups, emphasizing the importance of inclusive workforce policies and early employment opportunities.

Together, our studies highlight factors that influence education and employment trajectories. By leveraging rigorous data, this symposium offers actionable insights to better align services and systems to support TAY, centering around unique needs and subpopulations.

Presenters are researchers and affiliates of the Transition-Age Youth Research and Evaluation Hub (TAY-Hub), a collaborative specializing in applied research and evaluation related to the policies and practices affecting TAY. Housed within the California Child Welfare Indicators Project at UC Berkeley, the TAY-Hub builds on CalYOUTH, the most comprehensive study of TAY leaving foster care and evaluation of California’s extended foster care policy. Grounded in collaboration with the child welfare services community and young people, this work informs ongoing efforts to improve transitional services for TAY.