Employment Outcomes of Former Foster Youth as Young Adults

This article explores how former foster youth who aged out of care in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Iowa are faring in the labor market at age 24 and examines the variability in employment and wages for these youth. Multilevel models are used to analyze youth’s employment using four waves of the (Chapin Hall) Midwest Study. Findings point to a critical need to better understand and address barriers to education, causes of substantial racial disparities, and characteristics of family foster homes that facilitate youths’ employment.