Surveying Case Managers about Current Practices Regarding Foster Youth

Presenter Information

Jacy Kraayenbrink, Minnesota State University, Mankato
Michael Hamilton, Minnesota State University, Mankato

Location

CSU 243/4/5

Start Date

5-4-2010 1:00 PM

End Date

5-4-2010 3:00 PM

Student's Major

Psychology

Student's College

Social and Behavioral Sciences

Mentor's Name

Carlos Panahon

Mentor's Department

Psychology

Mentor's College

Social and Behavioral Sciences

Second Mentor's Name

Laura Strunk

Second Mentor's Department

Social Work

Second Mentor's College

Social and Behavioral Sciences

Description

This research was conducted to look at case workers and their current practices regarding foster youth. Foster youth are included in a vulnerable population that has limited access to school programs that would allow them to have a more well-rounded education. Therefore, it is important to examine the services case managers provide foster youth to overcome these obstacles and allow them to have a better education. A case manager works in various communities assisting adolescent wards of the state by providing advocacy, assessment, and a broad range of case management services to youth. These services include but are not limited to, developing service plans, transporting youth to various appointments, providing supervised visits to clients, attending court sessions, completing necessary reports, and providing referrals for services needed. The objectives of this research were to determine how frequently case workers are implementing after school social support programs for foster and post foster youth and how much they feel these programs are necessary. In addition, the necessity of doing more of an exhaustive post foster care check-up of foster youth by the case managers to ensure better transition from foster care was examined. The surveys were sent to case managers in Southern Minnesota that work with Foster Youth between that ages of 14 and 21.

Descriptive and correlational analyses were conducted on all returned surveys. Results identified relative strengths and weaknesses of current services provided to foster youth. Recommendations to improve services for foster youth were provided.