ADOLESCENTS IN FOSTER-CARE - PREDICTING READINESS FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING

This exploratory study of 152 randomly selected adolescents 16 years of age and older in foster care in Los Angeles County uses data from three different sources to identify significant predictors of readiness for independent living. These data were provided by the youths' caseworkers, their caretakers, and the youths themselves. Responsibility, self-care, supportive environment, and employment were the dimensions of independent living readiness analyzed. Stepwise regression results indicated that school performance, mental health problems, hours worked per week, total number of placements, contact with father, ethnicity, and caretaker perceptions of being asked for assistance were significant predictors of these dimensions. Implications are drawn for research on and service delivery to this population.