Child Welfare League of America and The Children's Village Release Results of First Long-Term Study on the Effect of Aftercare on Foster Care Youth

Child Welfare League of America
Wednesday, 8 November 2000

November 8, 2000, Washington, DC -- The Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) and The Children's Village (CV) announce the results of a 15-year study that tracked 93 high-risk foster care youth who received long-term aftercare through CV's Work Appreciation for Youth (WAY) Program. The results are published in a book, The WAY to Work: An independent Living/Aftercare Program for High-Risk Youth, A 15-Year Longitudinal Study.

The new study shows that the youth involved in the WAY Program, all of whom come from the most high-risk segment of New York City's foster care system, completed high school at rates more than 50% higher than children living below the poverty level nationally, and almost 20% higher than the general population of African American and Latino students in New York City. A majority of the participants were minority youth. This is remarkable given that all the youth came from impoverished families, were classified special education, and were so profoundly troubled that they had been placed in residential treatment. Currently, only 4% of NYC's foster care children are considered so troubled that they are placed in this expensive and highly clinical level of care.

Further, the study showed that 81% of the youth, who were in their 20s when studied, were employed with mean earnings of $23,000, and that 95% of the participants had no adult incarceration record. The U.S. Department of Labor reports that 30% of African American males in this age group are either in prison, on probation, or on parole.

The need for aftercare has been front and center in recent months as policymakers try to deal with thousands of adolescents aging out of foster care. Twenty-five to forty percent of these youth experience homelessness, and studies show that without assistance, many face obstacles to becoming independent.

"We now know, more than ever before, about effective strategies to improve outcomes and life options for young people" Shay Bilchik, Executive Director of the Child Welfare League of America, said. "WAY is an outstanding example of an effective approach to working with at-risk youth. CWLA applauds WAY's positive philosophy, cost-efffective methodology, and most importantly, its ability to make a significant difference in the lives of vulnerable kids."

WAY began at The Children's Village in 1984 and has been in continuous operation and under rigorous research since that time. The program was originally designed to help youth leaving the Village's residential treatment center in Dobbs Ferry, NY, make a successful transition back to the community, and gain the attitudes and skills needed to become productive and self-sufficient adults. WAY has been adapted and replicated in several sites throughout the country.

The WAY Program received a PEPNet Award from the National Youth Employment Coalition; was featured recently in Youth Programs that Work for America, published by CWLA and More Things that DO Make a Difference for Youth: A Compendium of Evaluations of Youth Programs and Practices, published by the American Youth Policy Forum.

The Children's Village is a nationally recognized child care agency dedicated to serving society's most vulnerable children. On its Dobbs Ferry campus, The Village provides residential treatment, intensive family services, foster care and adoption services, a range of community-based youth outreach programs, and has been a pioneer in the field of aftercare through a number of aftercare programs for foster care and juvenile justice youth.

The Child Welfare League of America is the nation's oldest and largest membership-based child welfare organization. Its mission is to engage people everywhere in promoting the well being of children, youth, and families, and in protecting every child from harm.

A copy of the executive summary of the WAY study is available upon request. Copies of the book may be ordered by calling 800-407-6273 or 301-617-7825. Please specify stock #8048. The cost is $16.95.

For more information, or to contact Child Welfare League of America, see their website at: www.cwla.org