Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act: A mixed methods analysis of state policy implementation
Abstract
In public child welfare, the charge of public policy is to strengthen or reunify the child to their family of origin, or to establish a meaningful relationship with a new family that will provide support and care for the long-term view. For many youth, the goal of a permanent family is not achieved before their 18th birthday, the date of emancipation to adulthood. Previous inquiries into the status of former foster care youth provide dismal results. The Fostering Connections to Success Act of 2008 creates a federal policy framework giving states the funds and tools to support foster youth in transition, yet challenges remain. To date, there has been no examination of the policy implementation process adopted by states. Using Matland’s Ambiguity-Conflict Framework and Elazar’s Theory of Political Culture, this exploratory study examines the utilization of foster care services by youth post emancipation in each state, as well as an analysis of state implementation plans with the best policy outcomes.
Subject Area
Social work|Public administration|Public policy
Recommended Citation
Angela Bauer Pharris,
"Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act: A mixed methods analysis of state policy implementation"
(2016).
ETD Collection for Tennessee State University.
Paper AAI10158595.
https://digitalscholarship.tnstate.edu/dissertations/AAI10158595