On Your Own Without a Net – The Transition to Adulthood for Vulnerable Populations (John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Series on Mental Health and Development) - Hardcover

Osgood, D Wayne; Foster, E Michael; Flanagan, Constance; Ruth, Gretchen R

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0226637832 ISBN 13: 9780226637839

Publisher: University of Chicago Press, 2005

Synopsis

In the decade after high school, young people continue to rely on their families in many ways - sometimes for financial support, sometimes for help with child-care, and sometimes for continued shelter. But what about those young people who confront special difficulties during this period, many of whom can count on little help from their families? "On Your Own Without a Net" documents the special challenges facing seven vulnerable populations during the transition to adulthood: former foster care youth, youth formerly involved in the juvenile justice system, youth in the criminal justice system, runaway and homeless youth, former special education students, young people in the mental health system, and youth with physical disabilities. During adolescence, government programs have been a major part of their lives, yet eligibility for most programs typically ends between the ages of eighteen and twenty-one. This critical volume shows the unfortunate repercussions of this termination of support and points out the issues that must be addressed to improve these young people's chances of becoming successful adults.

About this title

About the Author

D. Wayne Osgood is professor of crime, law, justice, and sociology in the Department of Sociology at Pennsylvania State University. E. Michael Foster is associate professor of health policy and demography in the Department of Health Policy and Administration at Pennsylvania State University. Constance Flanagan is professor in the Department of Agricultural and Extension Education at Pennsylvania State University. Gretchen R. Ruth is a research associate at Chapin Hall Center for Children, University of Chicago.

From the Inside Flap

In the decade after high school, young people continue to rely on their families in many ways&;sometimes for financial support, sometimes for help with child care, and sometimes for continued shelter. But what about those young people who confront special difficulties during this period, many of whom can count on little help from their families?

On Your Own Without a Net documents the special challenges facing seven vulnerable populations during the transition to adulthood: foster care youth, youth involved in the juvenile justice system, youth formerly in the criminal justice system, runaway and homeless youth, special education students, young people in the mental health system, and youth with physical disabilities. During adolescence, government programs have been a major part of their lives, yet eligibility for most programs typically ends between the ages of eighteen and twenty-one. This critical volume shows the unfortunate repercussions of this termination of support and points out the issues that must be addressed to improve these young people&;s chances of becoming successful adults. As a result, On Your Own Without a Net will find a welcome home on the desks of policy makers, educators of teens and young adults, and academics across the social sciences.
 

Edition details

• Publisher: University of Chicago Press
• Publication date: 2005
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0226637832
• ISBN 13: 9780226637839
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 432