On Their Own

by Martha Shirk and Gary StanglerWestview Press

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In this riveting chronicle, authors Shirk and Stangler examine the lives of 10 young people as they age out of foster care. The mix includes kids who maintain careers and healthy personal lives into adulthood, others who need ongoing jumpstarts, and, sadly, those who "loiter on the margins of functionality."

But these authors do not offer mere commentary—they suggest reforms. Citing the results of a 2003 study on public opinion of foster care, in which 93 percent of those polled believe that transition programs into adulthood are important, they offer a five-step plan to improve the outcomes of those in the system.

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