READINESS FOR INDEPENDENCE - COMPARISON OF FOSTER-CARE, KINSHIP CARE, AND NON-FOSTER CARE ADOLESCENTS

Data from Los Angeles County are used to compare 63 non-foster care adolescents with 42 adolescents placed in kinship care and 69 adolescents in non-relative foster family care in their readiness for independent living. Bivariate analysis revealed that foster care and non-foster care adolescents are not significantly different in perceptions of independent living Skill levels, type of employment they held, and perceived overall preparation for independent living. Non-relative foster care adolescents, however, were more likely than the other two groups to believe particular skills were self-taught, work full-time, work more than 40 hours a week, and not expect to live with a relative after emancipation/high school. These differences remained even after ethnicity and gender were controlled. Foster care adolescents, in general, were more likely to worry about their future and expect to support themselves after emancipation/high school. Implications for service delivery and social policy are drawn from these findings.