Rethinking Permanency and Wellbeing for Texas Children in Care

What do youth need to successfully transition from foster care to adulthood?

In 2017, Upbring began partnering with the Texas Institute for Child & Family Wellbeing (TXICFW) at The University of Texas at Austin to answer this very question. The ensuing research project, the Texas Youth Permanency Study (TYPS), sought to determine new ways to support youth in the foster care system and provide resources they need to thrive in adulthood.

TYPS found that relational permanency matters far more than legal or physical permanency, which are the current barometers for success in foster care. What’s more, to truly support the wellbeing of youth aging out of foster care, we must combine the presence of authentic caregiver relationships with instrumental support and a sense of normalcy.

In this white paper, released in May 2023, Upbring offers a service provider’s perspective on the TYPS findings, plus broad policy and legislative ideas to turn those insights into action so we can truly break the cycle of child abuse and neglect in Texas.

How can you help youth successfully transition from foster care to adulthood?

Anyone who has a formal or informal role in a young person’s life, including birth families, foster families, adoptive families, caseworkers, mental health professionals, and judges, can provide the authentic relationships youth need to succeed after leaving foster care.