‘I Was in Survival Mode’: Experiences of Young People Impacted by Out‐of‐Home Care With (Dis)abilities Attending Public 2‐Year Colleges

ABSTRACT Research supports that individuals who attain a college degree experience a range of positive outcomes compared to those who do not, including increased financial stability, civic participation, and employment satisfaction. However, not all groups are equally likely to complete college, and young people impacted by out‐of‐home care (YPIOC) with (dis)abilities historically have completed college at low rates. This paper explores the experiences of YPIOC with (dis)abilities engaging in post‐secondary education in the United States, particularly young people attending public 2‐year institutions, commonly called community colleges. A hybrid qualitative study consisting of in‐depth interviews, focus groups, and photo‐elicitation activities with YPIOC with (dis)abilities ( n = 17) was conducted. Data analysis showed that young people impacted by out‐of‐home care with (dis)abilities experience economic precarity that impacts their ability to meet their housing and nutritional needs. These young people faced impossible dilemmas choosing between academics and survival, encountered a culture of (dis)accommodation when managing their well‐being while in college, and felt forced out of college due to lack of financial resources, hindering their pursuits. The implications for out‐of‐home care practitioners, higher education practitioners, and policymakers are discussed, such as the need for new programs and revised practices to support the basic needs of young people impacted by out‐of‐home care with (dis)abilities to increase college completion rates.