Abstract
In 2010, it was estimated that 27,850 youth aged out of the child welfare system with limited to no permanent family or housing benefits. Transitional age youth (TAY) aging out of foster care are at risk of multiple adversities, including homelessness, lack of independence, low rates of high school graduation, higher education enrollment, and lower earnings (Curry & Abrams, 2014). This, research project explores the question, “Is transitional housing beneficial to TAY aging out of foster care?” Furthermore, this research will focus on social workers’ experience, knowledge, contribution, and perspective in working with TAY in the foster care system from a social work systems theoretical framework. Twenty-five participants from Sacramento County and San Joaquin County Child Protective Services were interviewed via Qualtrics using survey questions that pertained to social workers’ experiences and knowledge working with TAY. The goal was to solicit feedback from participants from each agency to determine whether transitional housing is beneficial to transitioning age youth exiting foster care. Of the 25 participants, less than fifty percent thought that transitional housing would not be beneficial to TAY.