This study examined the outcomes for young adults in Extended Foster Care. Extended Foster Care is a relatively new program within the Child Welfare system, which provides services for former foster youth between the ages of 18 and 21 to become more successful, independent young adults. Before the implementation of Extended Foster Care in 2012, most of the foster children were left to fend for themselves after they turned 18, which resulted in negative outcomes. Extended Foster Care is a seemingly helpful program; however, due to its new existence there has been very limited research regarding the outcomes of these young adults in Extended Foster Care. This study used secondary data from the San Bernardino County Legislative, Research and Quality Support Services Unit. After data retrieval, independent t-tests and chi-squared tests were conducted using SPSS version 21. The independent variable of days spent in Extended Foster Care was compared to the following dependent variables: disability status, education status, housing status, and employment status and its barriers. The results of this study showed that the longer a young adults stays in Extended Foster Care, the higher their likelihood is of positive housing, employment, and education status. This study suggests it is critical to continue to provide Extended Foster Care services and further research needs to be conducted to ensure program quality and to continue to improve the services to this vulnerable, young adult population.

The research study explored the impact of community resources has on client progress in their case plans as assessed by social workers in Child Welfare Services. The study site was at the Children and Family Services Agency in Central California. The data was gathered using face-to-face interviews with social workers by using a prepared interview guide, which was later transcribed for data analysis utilizing axial, and selective coding. During the Data analysis the researchers found two major themes that have an influence in the clients’ case progression and they include the following: 1.) barriers towards case plan progression and 2.) key elements to case plan progression. The termination of the study included the preparation of the study findings and was presented to the gatekeepers of the research site.

Burnout among child welfare social workers negatively affects social workers and the social welfare system. The purpose of this action research study was to explore what child welfare social workers do to alleviate burnout. The practice-focused research questions for this study center on two elements: (a) the experiences of burnout among child welfare social workers employed by the Department of Family and Children services in the southeastern region of the United States and (b) the social work practices used to alleviate burnout. The conceptual framework for this study was the Maslach theory on burnout. Action research study procedures were used to facilitate analysis of the research problem. Data were collected using semistructured questions administered to 6 child welfare social workers in a focus group. The selection criteria for the child welfare social workers were social workers who work for the department of children and family services for at least 6 months. The data were transcribed verbatim from an audio recording. Codes were assigned to the data and reliability checks were conducted. The themes that emerged from analysis of the data included workload, lack of influence on the job, lack of rewards on the job, negative social interaction, and value differences in individuals and their jobs. The findings of this study might contribute to positive social change by enhancing awareness regarding burnout in child welfare social workers and providing an opportunity for child welfare social workers and child welfare agencies to learn how to address causes of burnout in child welfare social workers in the southeastern United States.

The study explores and describes the satisfaction that clients placed at Trinity Children and Family Services have with the agency's therapeutic services. Therapeutic services in this case refers to the therapy that the residents receive from their individual and group therapists, and their interactions with the unit case manager/dorm supervisor and unit counselors.

The objective of this study was to improve treatment provided to multi-cultural families in the welfare system by improving training and awareness in regards to cultural sensitivity.