The Importance of Social Support Networks for Youth in Foster Care

Bennett, A., Ravet, M., & Gabrielli, J. (2024). A systematic review of social support interventions for youth in foster care. Children and Youth Services Review, 163, 107750. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2024.107750

Introduction

In the field of child welfare, the consequences of foster care extend far beyond placement. Many youth experience disruptions not only to home life but also to their social ecosystems. Using a systematic review,  Bennett (2024) explore a crucial protective factor for these youth: social support. 

Social support is a robust predictor of resilience in the face of adversity. In both general and foster care populations, it is associated with improved psychological health, reduced internalizing and externalizing symptoms, and greater life stability. Recognizing this, the review evaluates not just whether interventions “work,” but critically, who is involved and how support is defined and measured.

Methods

The authors conducted a systematic search across five major databases, filtering for studies that met strict inclusion criteria: English-language, U.S.-based, peer-reviewed experimental designs that targeted youth-specific social support outcomes among foster youth aged six and older. Ultimately, ten studies representing eight distinct interventions were included.

Study quality was appraised using the GRADE framework, and risk of bias was assessed using standardized tools for randomized and non-randomized studies. Data extraction focused on intervention type, support networks leveraged (e.g., family, non-related adults, peers), and how social support was operationalized and measured.

Results

Of the ten included studies, six showed evidence that the intervention improved youth social support. Effective interventions spanned diverse formats: family finding and engagement efforts, a peer support group, and a sibling-focused skills program. Notably, interventions leveraging a range of support networks—including both familial and non-familial adults—were more likely to show positive outcomes.

Yet results varied. Some interventions, especially those focusing solely on formal mentoring or support from foster parents, did not yield improvements in perceived social support.

The review points to methodological heterogeneity as a key issue. Support was measured variously as the number of supportive individuals (a count), the strength or quality of relationships, or youth’s subjective perception of support. Studies that captured support quality or depth, as opposed to just quantity, were more likely to detect improvements. Moreover, follow-up periods ranged widely from six weeks to two years, limiting comparability across studies.

Discussion

The review highlights that interventions are most promising when they go beyond traditional adult-centered models and include siblings, peers, and extended kin. 

Additionally, measurement matters. Over-reliance on numeric counts may obscure meaningful changes in relationship quality or subjective support, especially in this population where perceptions of trust and safety are often shaped by past trauma.

Implications for Mentoring Programs

Programs should consider how to facilitate a network of support that includes natural mentors, family members, and peers. Additionally, evaluations of mentoring should not only ask “How many social connections do you have?” but also “How meaningful are the relationships?”

Practical steps include integrating family engagement components, peer group sessions, and training for mentors on trauma-informed approaches to building mentee social capital.

Programs should also collaborate with researchers to co-develop and validate outcome measures that capture the nuanced ways foster youth experience support.

Read the full paper here