TYPES OF FOSTER CARE WARDS PREPARING FOR INDEPENDENCE
TYPES OF FOSTER CARE WARDS PREPARING FOR INDEPENDENCE

Summary/Abstract: Introduction: Preparation for independence is one of the primary objectives of foster care.Developing a typology of young people in foster care based on their meaning in life and theirpersonal resources, such as resilience, coping with stress, self-efficacy and self-esteem, can pro-vide valuable guidance on how to effectively support their transition into adulthood.Research Aim: The aim of the study was to identify the types of foster care wards preparing forindependence based on their meaning in life and selected personal resources, including resil-ience, stress management, self-efficacy and self-esteem.Research Method: The study employed a diagnostic survey as the data collection method. Theresearch sample consisted of 230 young people aged 16–20 from both institutional and familyfoster care settings in Poland. Five research instruments were used: the Author’s Scale of theMeaning of Life, the Resilience Scale by Ogińska-Bulik and Juczyński, Endlers and Parkers’Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations, the Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale by Schwarzer, Je-rusalem and Juczyński, the Self-Esteem Scale by Rosenberg.Results: Four distinct types of young people preparing for independence from foster care canbe identified differing in their meaning in life and selected personal resources.Conclusion: The quality of foster care wards’ transition into adulthood may depend on the typethey represent. Considering their specific type can help tailor support strategies to enhancetheir preparation for independent living.

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