The Role of Foster Care Organizational Systems’ Components on Financial Independence
Date of Award
Summer 2023
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)
Committee Chair
Gayle Degennaro
Committee Member
Lori Salgado
Committee Member
Susan Campbell
Abstract
This qualitative study examined the relationship between organizational systems’ components within the foster care system and the financial independence of former foster youth. The research explored the perspectives of former foster youth to gain insights into the effectiveness of organizational components in promoting financial literacy and advocating for financial independence. The study focused on the foster care system in Ohio. Data collection involved interviewing former foster youth to understand their experiences and gather narratives related to financial independence. The study employed a qualitative methodology to explore the experiences of foster care alumni within the Ohio foster care system. The researcher aimed to understand the participants’ perspectives, meanings, attitudes, and beliefs regarding their time in foster care. The data collection instrument used in this study was a semi-structured interview protocol consisting of 27 researcher-developed open-ended interview questions. The study used convenience and snowball sampling methods to select participants. Data collected involved interviewing 13 voluntary participants that met specific criteria as Ohio foster care alumni. The researcher also collected demographic data through an anonymous online pre-interview survey to supplement the qualitative data. The findings highlighted four significant themes: Support from Organizational Systems’ Components, Learning from Life Experiences, Self-Sufficiency, and Being Debt-Free. These themes underscored the role of foster parents, independent living programs, and social workers in providing financial literacy support. Participants’ life experiences influenced their financial mindset and fostered their self-sufficiency. Some participants expressed the importance of being debt-free as a significant achievement.
Recommended Citation
Kheng-Chindavong, Liz, "The Role of Foster Care Organizational Systems’ Components on Financial Independence" (2023). All Doctoral Student Dissertations. 111.
https://fuse.franklin.edu/docpub/111