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Understanding Support Network Capacity During The Transition From Foster Care: Youth-Identified Barriers, Facilitators, And Enhancement Strategies, Jared Best, Jennifer E. Blakeslee
Understanding Support Network Capacity During The Transition From Foster Care: Youth-Identified Barriers, Facilitators, And Enhancement Strategies, Jared Best, Jennifer E. Blakeslee
School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations
This study explores how foster care experiences can impact support network functionality as young people exit the foster care system. This can be conceptualized as a function of both network member capacity to provide adequate support to address young adult needs, and network stability, which reflects cohesion within and across relationships to facilitate consistent support over time. We conducted support network mapping and semi-structured interviews with youth in foster care aged 16–20 (N = 22) and used theoretical thematic analysis to explore support barriers and facilitators in relation to the organizing concepts of support capacity and network stability. Overall, support …