Outcomes of youth with foster care experiences based on permanency outcome – Adoption, aging out, long-term foster care, and reunification: A systematic review

Abstract

This study followed PRISMA guidelines to conduct a systematic review of literature published from 2002 to 2022 to assess the differences in outcomes of children and youth who were adopted out of foster care compared to children and youth in foster care (CYFC) who were in other permanency placements (reunified, aged out, long-term foster care). The search was carried out from May 27, 2022 through June 11, 2022 using Google Scholar, ProQuest, PubMed Central, SagePub, ScienceDirect, and Scopus. The review yielded twelve (N = 12) studies from Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Due to the heterogeneity of quantitative metrics across the outcome domains, a narrative synthesis of the results was undertaken. Findings were varied but not contradictory on the educational, economic, housing, health, criminality, and substance use outcomes of CYFC who are and are not adopted. Funding for the systematic review was provided by a grant from the Gift of Adoption Fund.