Youth in foster care often experience family instability, which can prevent continued relationships and social connections. Therefore, the strength and stability of their social support networks may play an important role in shaping their lives.
A social support network is a comprehensive network of family, friends, neighbors, and community members who provide emotional, practical, and informational support when needed.
Her recent research published in the journal social work researchKunhe Park, assistant professor at Michigan State University’s School of Social Work, investigated the relationship between various aspects of social support networks, such as type and size, and incarceration among youth who have been in foster care.
Specifically, Park found that for people transitioning into adulthood, strong social support networks not only reduce the likelihood of incarceration, but also positively promote adjustment to adulthood.
Given the developmental challenges of early adulthood (e.g., pursuing postsecondary education, finding employment, securing housing), involvement of the legal system during the transition to adulthood can pose additional challenges and can have lasting effects across the life course. ”
Kunhae Park, Assistant Professor, School of Social Work, Michigan State University
Previous research has shown that weak or disconnected connections to supportive individuals, traditional institutions, or widely accepted social values are associated with a higher likelihood of involvement with the justice system among youth who have been in foster care, supporting Park’s research that emphasizes the importance of stable and supportive support networks.
Among the different types of social support, emotional support stands out as being particularly important. Research shows that young people who say they receive adequate psychological support are less likely to experience incarceration.
“Adequate psychological support was significantly associated with a lower likelihood of incarceration,” Park said. “This study suggests that some forms of social support may be more effective than others in influencing legal system outcomes.”
These findings highlight the importance of active outreach and engagement efforts by child welfare professionals to strengthen supportive relationships that provide comfort, reassurance, and encouragement for youth as they work through psychological distress.
More specifically, children should be placed in foster care options that best reflect their social networks, with minimal disruption.
“The development of targeted interventions and support systems in child welfare and social work has important implications,” Park said.
sauce:
michigan state university
Reference magazines:
Park, K. Others. (2026). Risk of incarceration: The influence of social support networks during the transition to adulthood. social work research. DOI: 10.1093/swr/svaf026. https://academic.oup.com/swr/article-abstract/50/1/9/8425646
