Predicting Homelessness among Emerging Adults Aging Out of Foster Care

Published in the American Journal of Community Psychology (2016) 0:1-11

Risk and protective factors associated with homelessness in the year after “aging out” of foster care. Using a state-level integrated administrative database, we identified 1,202 emerging adults in Washington State who exited foster care between July 2010 and June 2012. Youth who were parents, who had recently experienced housing instability, or were African American had approximately twice the odds of homelessness in the year after exiting foster care. Youth who had experienced disrupted adoptions, had multiple foster care placements, or had been involved with the juvenile justice system were more likely to become homeless. Youth were less likely to experience homelessness if they had ever been placed with a relative while in foster care or had a high cumulative grade point average relative to their peers.