Young People and Advocates Use NYTD Data to Shape Policy and Practice

The data provided through the National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD) is critical to shaping the services and supports available to young people as they transition out of foster care and begin to live independently. While earlier briefs in this series have highlighted ways in which the research community can use the NYTD data, survey administrators (state and federal) should also strive for a better understanding of how young people and advocates—key stakeholder groups—use the data to shape policies and practices. This brief focuses on young people with foster care experience and experience taking the NYTD survey; these young people, in turn, rely on the data in their own advocacy efforts. Throughout the brief, we include quotes from young people to attest to the importance of NYTD data and to highlight suggested improvements.

NYTD data drives visibility and advocacy.

Young people not only represent the NYTD survey participants; they also use the data in a variety of ways. Many young people advocate for better policies and practices informed by the NYTD data, serve as federal NYTD reviewers monitoring states’ compliance with NYTD reporting requirements, and help administer and coordinate the NYTD survey in their states. NYTD data is needed for advocacy efforts, and young people highlight that the survey is an important way for their peers in foster care to contribute to the evidence base and, importantly, to feel seen and heard.

When asked why NYTD is important to them, the young people we interviewed emphasized the value of data that collects the unique experiences of young people making the transition from foster care to adulthood:

NYTD data and the review process inform continuous quality improvement of foster care.

In addition to using NYTD data for federal and local advocacy, young people discussed the importance of involving youth with foster care experience throughout NYTD survey administrations to ensure that the data are collected, analyzed, interpreted, and communicated in a way that captures their experiences. The NYTD review process is a central component of continuous quality improvement (CQI), and young people serve a critical role in these NYTD reviews. The Children’s Bureau (the entity that oversees NYTD implementation) also requires states to involve young people in NYTD administration; one of the most impactful ways to pursue their involvement is through the NYTD review process.

NYTD reviews are designed to ensure states’ compliance with federal NYTD reporting requirements and to identify technical assistance needs of noncompliant states. NYTD review teams are comprised of representatives from the federal government, the relevant state child welfare agency, and young people with lived experience in foster care. Young people who serve as NYTD reviewers are provided in-depth training on the purpose of the data, and on how states should collect and report it. States can replicate the federal CQI process and increase youth engagement in NYTD by hiring young people with lived experience as NYTD coordinators, employing them to recruit participants and administer the survey, and working with them to draft reports and disseminate findings.

The young people we interviewed are trained NYTD reviewers who currently participate in a national initiative to improve practices and policies for young people in foster care. Young people’s experience using the data while advocating for policy and practice changes illuminates several areas for improving NYTD data.

Expansion of data is an opportunity for improvement.

Young people who participate in the NYTD survey and use NYTD data offer important insights to states and advocates on how to expand and revise the current NYTD survey. Young people make clear that, while the current NYTD survey provides a helpful starting point, the usefulness of the data could be strengthened by clarifying existing questions and adding questions that dig deeper into youths’ experiences.

When asked about the strengths and limitations of NYTD, young people reported several barriers that hindered the utility of the data. These ranged from vague questions to a lack of information on important topics such as readiness to age out of care, sexual orientation, gender identity, and social-emotional health:

The young people also shared their thoughts on making the existing data even more powerful by including tailored questions within the specific topics covered in this series: education, employment, and homelessness. They made several specific recommendations.

On employment and education, young people reported wanting more depth on specific needs:

When asked about housing and homelessness, young people noted that failing to explicitly ask about “couch surfing”—a common form of housing instability among young people—results in an incomplete picture of housing arrangements:

Innovative data collection would lead to better data.

Beyond survey content, we also discussed ways in which NYTD planning and administration could be changed to involve young people in the decision-making process. Having more young people respond to the NYTD survey may improve the data quality by increasing awareness of the survey and ensuring that the survey is relevant for young people. There are also opportunities to utilize developmentally appropriate recruitment techniques and hire young people with lived experience in foster care to guide the recruitment process. According to the young people with whom we spoke, these initiatives are vital to ensuring that questions resonate with their peers and elicit the intended information. Recommendations include the following:

While NYTD has limitations, it does represent an important step toward understanding the experiences of young people transitioning out of foster care and into adulthood across the country. In our discussions with young people, the power and potential of the data were clear. NYTD is a useful tool in advocating for better services and supports for young people transitioning out of foster care and into adulthood. When implementing NYTD and making changes to the survey or the process, it is critical to consider all stakeholders (e.g., young people and state child welfare administrators). The young people with whom we spoke provided important insight for improving the existing NYTD survey and planning for its next iteration, resulting in concrete areas for growth and innovative solutions.