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The study evaluated the IEPs/Individualized Transition Plans of 45 students who were in special education and foster care, and compared them to the plans of 45 students who were in special education only. Results indicate that the transition plans of foster youth with disabilities were poor in quality, both in absolute terms and in comparison to youth who are in special education only. The review of transition plans suggests that foster youth may often go through the transition plan process with no parent advocate or educational surrogate, that professionals have limited expectations for foster youth, and that the transition plan document often does not support accountability or serve as a road map for moving into adulthood. The importance of student-directed, meaningful transition planning, services and supports for youth in foster care with disabilities is emphasized. In addition, the need for collaborative efforts between the child welfare system and special education is discussed. (Contains 1 table.)

Abstract: This study gathered qualitative information about the experiences of youth transitioning out of foster care into adulthood, from the perspectives of youth themselves, as well as foster parents and professionals. Data was gathered from 10 focus groups comprised of a total of 88 participants, including youth currently in foster care (n =19), foster care alumni (n =8), foster parents (n =21), child welfare professionals (n =20), education professionals (n =9), Independent Living Program staff (n =9) and other key professionals (n =2). Findings of key themes included: (a) self-determination; (b) coordination/collaboration (c) importance of relationships; (d) importance of family; (e) normalizing the foster care experience; (f) the Independent Living Program and (g) issues related to disability. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Very little in-depth information is available on the educational and transition experiences, perceptions, and actions of youth in foster care who are receiving special education services. This paper describes a qualitative study that followed seven youth in foster care receiving special education services, ages 15 to 18, for six to nine months. The youth were interviewed an average of seven times and they were invited to take photographs and make journal entries depicting their lives. The findings documented the complex challenges that youth experience, including educational struggles, difficulty in clarifying their relationships with biological family, and having to make major decisions in the context of uncertainty and inadequate and sometimes restrictive supports and services. Having consistent and committed adult support, knowledge of options and services, and opportunities, skills, and confidence to take positive action toward goals emerged as important themes in the youth''s success. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

While it has been well documented that racial and ethnic disparities exist for children of color in child welfare, the accuracy of the race and ethnicity information collected by agencies has not been examined, nor has the concordance of this information with youth self-report. This article addresses a major gap in the literature by examining 1) the racial and ethnic self-identification of youth in foster care, and the rate of agreement with child welfare and school categorizations; 2) the level of concordance between different agencies (school and child welfare); and 3) the stability of racial and ethnic self-identification among youth in foster care over time. Results reveal that almost 1 in 5 youth change their racial identification over a one-year period, high rates of discordance exist between the youth self-report of Native American, Hispanic and multiracial youth and how agencies categorize them, and a greater tendency for the child welfare system to classify a youth as White, as compared to school and youth themselves. Information from the study could be used to guide agencies towards a more youth-centered and flexible approach in regard to identifying, reporting and affirming youth's evolving racial and ethnic identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]