The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of foster alumni in community and technical colleges, with a focus on Washington State, using a qualitative research approach. Foster alumni may be considered a sub-set of first generation students, yet they have needs that extend beyond those of other first-generation students (e.g., housing). Examination of this issue is timely. Funding designated for foster alumni in higher education has increased in recent years, leading to a variety of support structures and levels of service at the colleges. Yet in the current budget climate, with state support diminishing, the two-year colleges face increasing challenges in providing support not only for foster alumni but for all students. Foster alumni moving into adulthood and through the state colleges represent the quintessential case of in loco parentis, yet their emerging status as adults needs to be supported with appropriate services, not forced dependency. This dissertation consists of three major manuscripts: a summary of the literature and two research reports, one focused on overall findings and the second focused on moving from the findings to considerations for practice. All three manuscripts utilized the critical social science or social justice perspective. The research manuscripts report the findings of a qualitative study using a collective case study design. Two colleges that serve foster alumni were identified and both staff and foster alumni students at the sites were interviewed, for a total of 10 students and 4 staff members. Participant selection utilized both purposive and convenience sampling methods. The study focused on three themes relevant to college participation which were identified based upon the review of the literature: Academic preparedness, psycho-social factors, and meeting basic needs. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim; staff interviews served as both triangulation of the student data as well as a source of additional information on college services to foster alumni. Responses were analyzed for direct responses to interview questions as well as for emerging themes. In addition, case records (e.g., transcripts) were reviewed as an additional method of data triangulation. Findings of the study were reported through individual case summaries in manuscript two as well as cross-case analysis in both manuscripts. While the participants in this study had high rates of high school completion and many had shown signs of "early promise" for academic achievement, all needed pre-college level course remediation in at least one area. A majority of participants indicated having felt depressed, yet only one participant had a diagnosis of depression; most seemed to consider some level of depression to be a natural outcome in their situation. Indications of resilience and internal locus of control were evident. Many continued to struggle to meet basic needs while in college, and eight of the ten student participants reported having experienced periods of homelessness since leaving foster care. Based upon the findings of this study, foster alumni share certain characteristics with other first-generation students, yet their needs in particular areas necessitate additional on-campus services and/or stronger connections with community partners. Considerations for enhancing support services in the community and technical colleges in seven different areas are given, including designating staff contacts, building community partnerships to support housing, arranging for priority registration and financial aid processing to avoid enrollment gaps, and providing optional (not mandatory) mentoring relationships. / Graduation date: 2012 / Access restricted to the OSU Community at author's request from Dec. 7, 2011 - Dec. 7, 2012

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Ce travail se compose de deux études principales : La première étude est destinée à valider une version française de l’échelle d’évaluation des qualités d’attachement adulte (MAQ ; Carver, 1997). La deuxième étude est destinée à évaluer les qualités d’attachement chez les jeunes adultes antérieurement placés en famille d’accueil et de les mettre en perspective avec la perception qu’ils ont du soutien parental reçu dans le cadre familial de substitution (famille d’accueil ou assistante familiale). Les résultats de la première étude montrent que l’échelle de MAQ-Fr présente des niveaux adéquats de cohérence interne, de stabilité temporelle et d’une bonne validité du construit. Nous pouvons considérer qu’elle constitue donc un bon outil d’évaluation des qualités d'attachement auprès d’une population d’adultes français. Les résultats de la deuxième étude montrent que les jeunes accueillis avaient été marqués par leur expérience de placement. Leurs types d'attachement à l'âge adulte ont été influencés dans une certaine mesure par leurs expériences individuelles en famille d'accueil. Ces types d'attachement sont liés à la fois au soutien parental de substitution et aux conditions dans lesquelles se sont effectuées le /ou les placements. Les types d'attachement insécure influencent l'évolution relationnelle des adultes anciens placés en famille d'accueil. Ils ont alors développé des « modèles internes opérants » provoquant des défenses qui renforcent en fait les angoisses et la méfiance déjà présentes du fait des traumatismes relationnels précoces. Cette étude fournit à la fois des indices positifs comme quoi les enfants placés subissent des souffrances liées à leurs difficultés d’attachement et que celles-ci peuvent se trouver modifiées en bien ou en mal selon la sensibilité des milieux d’accueil à ces difficultés d’attachement. Les résultats obtenus mettent en lumière l'importance de s'intéresser au placement en famille d'accueil et aux relations entre les jeunes placés et les parents d'accueil, celles-ci étant des facteurs susceptibles d'influencer dans une forme de sécurisation l’attachement à l'âge adulte tout en renforçant l’autonomisation et les capacités de mentalisation. / This work is composed of two main studies: The first study intended to validate a French version of the of the measure of adult attachment qualities (MAQ; Carver, 1997). The second study is designed to assess the attachment qualities of young adults previously placed in foster care and put them in perspective with the perception they have of parental support received in foster care. The results of the first study show that the MAQ-Fr scale has adequate levels of internal consistency, temporal stability, and good construct validity. We can consider that it is therefore a good tool for assessing the qualities of attachment to a French adult population. The results of the second study show that the participants have been affected by their foster care experience. Their relationship styles indicate that their attachment style in adulthood has been influenced to some extent by their individual experiences in foster care. These types of attachment are related both to foster parental support and the conditions in which the placement (s) was made. Insecure attachment patterns influence the relational evolution of adults who have been in foster care. They then developed "working internal models" hat provoke defenses that actually reinforce the anxieties and mistrust already present due to early relationship traumas. This study provides both positive indications that the children placed suffer pain related to their attachment difficulties and that these can be modified in good or bad according to the sensitivity of the host environments to these difficulties of 'attachment. The final results highlight the importance of foster care placement and relationships between young in foster care and their foster parents, as these factors are likely to influence attachment in adulthood in a form of securing while reinforcing empowerment and mentalizing abilities.

Less than 5% of former foster youth in America graduate with a bachelor's degree. The goal of this phenomenological research was to use student voices to identify or better understand promising practices that support the success of former foster youth. Two California State University (CSU) campuses were chosen as research sites because the California Education Code has language indicating CSUs responsibility to recruit, serve, and graduate former foster youth. Through purposeful sampling, eight students who were successfully approaching graduation were selected. The data collected through two interviews, a biographical questionnaire, and a photo review were subject to thematic identification and analysis of the use or lack of use of the types of capital outlined in the community cultural wealth theory. Five themes and the abundant and lacking types of capital were identified. Identified themes were student services and programs, mentorship, financial challenges, family dynamics, and self-determination. The participants were found to have abundant aspirational, navigational, resistance, and certain aspects of familial capital. They were found to be largely lacking in cultural, social, spiritual, linguistic, and other aspects of familial capital. Through the identification of the themes and the evaluation of capital, promising practices and next steps were identified and additional research needs brought to light.

In research, the transition from foster care to adult life has been pointed out as a significant and problematic period in young people´s lives. However, we know less about how this transition is handled professionally. Through qualitative interviews, this study examines social worker´s views and experiences of this transition process. The research questions focus on what needs social workers see in young people´s transition, how they describe their own work, and what strategies and tools that may promote the transition. The results are analyzed using the following theoretical concepts – discretion, emotional support, informative support,instrumental support and evaluative support. The study shows that young people need long-term relationships, certain practical skills and each type of support. Work with the transition is based on these needs. Here, social workers have an exploratory and coordination role thatconsists of many tasks. While they describe some specific strategies and tools, the results show that there are difficulties within this work. The roles of foster carers and social workers in young people´s transition to adulthood are discussed.

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In this study, the researchers explored child welfare workers’ perceptions on placement changes for youth in foster care and the impact these changes had on youths’ overall outcomes. Using a Post Positivist paradigm, qualitative research was completed using snowball-sampling procedures. The researchers conducted in-depth interviews with sixteen members from their personal networks of child welfare social workers that have direct contact with foster youth. The research participants included current child welfare social workers from two counties in Southern California. The study’s findings suggest that children’s behaviors and foster parents’ reactions to those behaviors impacted placement changes. Further, participants felt that these changes significantly impacted youths’ educational outcomes. Participants identified a variety of interventions they used to try to mitigate placement changes, some with more or less success. Finally, workers identified barriers within the child welfare system, including communications and compensation, that might have an impact on placement changes. Implications for social work practice, policy and research are discussed.