Moving to independent adulthood constitutes a difficult developmental challenge for all young people. But it can be especially hard for those in foster care who often lack support from their birth families and struggle with concerns about their future. The aim of this study was to investigate the circumstances that contribute to the future anxiety affecting looked after children in Poland as they move to independence. A quantitative methodology was used, the results of which show that the future anxiety of young people in foster care correlates with their age, source of income and continuation of education but not with gender, place of residence, type of care placement, current housing, intensity of relationships or current level of education. A similar study of a comparison group of young people who were not looked after and living with their birth families found no differences between the two groups in levels of general anxiety. The findings indicate that future anxiety is common among all young people moving to independence but that for some young people in care, it is sufficiently severe as to impair their progress. The risk and protective factors associated with this are highlighted. The findings also suggest that mentoring is an especially effective way of helping them make a successful transition.

The purpose of this research was to compare the frequency of the occurrence of risky behaviour and the level of self-efficiency feeling of youth in the period of late adolescence brought up in families of different structure. The structure of a family turned out not to have an important influence on a general feeling of self-efficiency of the examined youth brought up in complete and incomplete families. Risky behaviour which includes missing classes and using intoxicating substances: nicotine, alcohol, drugs, do not differ significantly in the frequency range in the compared groups. However, the quantitative analysis of the results shows more frequent use of legal highs by youth brought up in complete families. The results obtained did not prove the initial assumptions concerning a greater exposure to the possibility of the occurrence of risky behaviour among youth brought up in incomplete families. However, they indicate a higher frequency of occurrence of selected risky behaviour in adolescents from complete families, which prompts further analysis of the factors conditioning this phenomenon. It seems especially important to take into consideration the additional variables which should include: - time devoted to young people by parents fulfilling educational tasks alone or with a partner; - parental attitudes presented by parents.