What We Know
In Illinois, youth who remain in foster care past age 18 are more likely to use state support through the John Chafee Foster Care Independence Program.
The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services asked Chapin Hall Center to take a hard look at why some kids stay in foster care after turning 18 and other eligible youth don’t. This issue brief shares the center’s findings and gives public child welfare agencies clear recommendations on raising retention rates in extended care.
The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services has 4 administrative regions, which vary considerably in terms of the proportion of kids who participate in extended foster care. For example: In the state’s Cook County region, 81% of youth stay in care beyond 18. In its Southern region, retention rates drop to just 37%. The question that Chapin Hall set out to answer is why?