Staying connected with youth transitioning out of foster care: “Thank you for not giving up on me”

Abstract

Summary

Numerous research studies have addressed the experiences and outcomes of youth transitioning out of foster care; however, far fewer have addressed how to overcome the challenge of locating and retaining research participants from this population. This article contributes to the field by highlighting effective approaches to staying connected with (i.e., recruiting, relocating, and retaining) youth participants in longitudinal research studies. Two hundred ninety-four youth in the Southeastern United States participated in a longitudinal research study about their experiences as they transitioned out of foster care. Two years later, 80% of eligible participants from the baseline population (n = 223) chose to participate in the second wave of data collection.

Findings

Case examples are presented to illustrate the practical applications of youth-centered and person-centered approaches to participant recruitment, relocation, and retention and how engaging with youth on a case by case basis can minimize attrition rates and maintain participant interest in the study.

Application

We affirm the importance of encouraging youth involvement in all phases of the research process, highlight the methodological approaches used to recruit, relocate, and retain participants, and discuss the value of establishing and maintaining meaningful connections with youth participants involved in longitudinal research.