Social Workers’ Experiences Navigating Barriers for Youth Aging Out of Foster Care in the US Virgin Islands

Abstract

Social workers working with foster youth aging out of placement often experience barriers in referring such youth to housing, mental health, and other services. This qualitative research study explored service barriers social workers encountered while working with their foster clients aging out of placement in the US Virgin Islands. Data collection consisted of narrative interviews with social workers from a single government agency. Social workers (n = 6) from the islands of St. Croix and St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands, discussed the challenges they encountered while working with their foster clients aging out of placement. Participants identified the following barriers to services: lack of family support/community involvement, lack of housing, youths’ lack of intellectual capacity/independent living skills, lack of training/employment opportunities for youth, services not suited for adolescents, and lack of funding. These findings may inform targets for future intervention and influence the foster care system to provide more supportive resources to social workers and clients. Practitioners and policymakers should consider implementing further practices that promote positive development for these youth and reduce the number of adolescents aging out of the foster care system without supportive resources.