Perspectives of youth aging out of foster care on relationship strength and closeness in their support networks

Abstract

Research, practice, and policy focus on the importance of relationships with young people aging out of foster care, especially relational permanency. While previous research has examined these relationships, typically with mentors, foster parents, or biological parents, few have examined the quality of strong network ties within support networks. This study incorporated a network approach to understanding how youth discussed strong ties and defined closeness in relationships. Qualities of strong ties included stability, multidimensional support, advocacy, honesty and genuineness, commonalities, trust, and small interconnected core networks. Understanding qualities youth value in close relationships may help service providers in supporting and enhancing relational permanency from multiple sources of support for youth aging out of the foster care system.

Internal conversations, self-reliance and social support in emerging adults transitioning from out-of-home care: An interpretative phenomenological study

“…In this small-scale study, points for practice would include the importance of offering avowedly self-reliant young people the opportunity to talk in more specific detail about their thoughts and feelings about current experience of actual and potential social support (informal and formal) and social relationships in order to tap potentially rich reflexive discussions (and cognitive reappraisal) about social context ( Best & Blakeslee, 2020 ; Fritz et al, 2018 ; Ungar, 2013 ), while also acknowledging understandable parallel anger about a range of forms of maltreatment and service failures to meet need ( Congdon, 2018 ; Pryce et al, 2017 ).…”

“…For those providing or planning services for care-leavers, a question arises: How do self-reliant individuals, in transition from care, appraise current social support and social relationships – both informal and formal? We know that high self-reliance implies a general tendency to avoid help-seeking and perhaps to avoid the development of social relationships, but what might we discover if we take a ‘very close look’ at experiential aspects of (cognitive) re-appraisal and re-evaluation of social support and social relationships ( Best & Blakeslee, 2020 ; Wade, 2008 ), specifically among those who appear especially self-reliant, in the context of transition from care?…”

A Systematic Review of Internet Communication Technology Use by Youth in Foster Care

“…Foster Club, a national network for youth in foster care, suggests that youth form “permanency pacts” with supportive adults who provide specific supports for them beyond the transition from foster care (Foster Club, 2016 ). Youth need multiple domains of relational support to provide life-long, kin-like relationships in order to have successful outcomes (Best & Blakeslee, 2020 ; Blakeslee, 2015 ). In addition to mentors and other more formal relational supports, youth draw upon the support of peers, significant others, and birth families (Best & Blakeslee, 2020 ).…”

“…Youth need multiple domains of relational support to provide life-long, kin-like relationships in order to have successful outcomes (Best & Blakeslee, 2020;Blakeslee, 2015). In addition to mentors and other more formal relational supports, youth draw upon the support of peers, significant others, and birth families (Best & Blakeslee, 2020).…”

“…This skill relies on interpersonal experiences. Again, foster youth often lack opportunities for interpersonal social supports (Best & Blakeslee, 2020;Blakeslee & Best, 2019). Youth participants across studies reported that they developed relational skills through the use of ICTs that provided insights into others' experiences and allowed them to reflect more deeply on their own experiences.…”