Work

Building Relational Permanence to Support the Transition to Adulthood Among System-Involved Youth

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: The transition to adulthood is challenging for all youth, but this developmental period can present substantial difficulties for youth involved in child-serving systems due to a constellation of adversities and a lack of protective factors present in their lives. Notably, many system-involved youth are disconnected from important relationships and are tasked to navigate the increased demands of adulthood without sufficient support. There is a spectrum of services available for youth transitioning out of system-involvement, but the majority focus on independent living skills, which alone are often insufficient to facilitate a successful transition to adulthood. This paper provides details regarding the importance of building relational permanence—relationships with permanent-supportive individuals—among young adults transitioning out of system involvement. Authors review evidence-based approaches, used by community agencies, which build relational permanence for system-involved youth, while discussing future directions to improve the rigor of research on relational permanence, and action for necessary policy change.

Source: Adolescents

DOI: 10.3390/adolescents6010016

Authors: Cara Lucke, Kristine Piescher, Traci LaLiberte

Institution: University of Minnesota

Language: English

Topic: Child Welfare and Adoption

Subfield: Safety Research

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,207