First published in 1998. Part of the Children of Poverty series which includes studies on the effects of single parenthood, the feminization of poverty and homelessness, this volume looks at the shortcomings of the child protection services in relation to young people in foster care. The purpose of the study was to determine the impact of systemic shortcomings on the domestic and educational conditions of youth in the foster care system. In addition to studying the impact of systemic failures on foster care arrangements, the study also examined the impact of the protection services' failure to work more closely with youth, and with teachers on student educational outcomes.

On Their Own tells the compelling stories of ten young people whose lives are full of promise, but who face economic and social barriers stemming from the disruptions of foster care. This book calls for action to provide youth in foster care the same opportunities on the road to adulthood that most of our youth take for granted--access to higher education, vocational training, medical care, housing, and relationships within their communities. On Their Own is meant to serve as a clarion call not only to policymakers, but to all Americans who care about the future of our young people.

A sizable fraction of older youth in foster care run away from their placement at least once; many run multiple times. Estimates vary but indicate a serious problem. Unlike other runaways, youth who run away from foster care are generally not trying to escape from abuse or neglect, although they may experience conflict with caregivers. Having been separated from their families and friends, youth who run away from foster care are sometimes seen as running to something rather than running away. While away from their placement, youth may have need of shelter, medical care, counseling, and other services. This report is based on interviews with a sample of youth who ran away from foster care placements in Chicago and L.A. The information they provide help us to understand better why they run away and what can be done to prevent youth from running away from foster care. We also learn where these youth go when they run away. This is a print on demand report.

This book apprises readers of the present conditions of former and emancipated foster youth, provides evidence-based best practices regarding their experiences, and proposes new policies for ensuring better outcomes for these children upon discharge from foster care. For most American youth, the transition to adulthood is gradual and aided by support from parents and others. In contrast, foster youth are expected to arrive at self-sufficiency abruptly and without the same level of support. Such an expectation may be due in part to what Loring Paul Jones has found in his research: that many of the studies conducted thus far have been fragmented and incomplete, often focusing on a particular state or agency that may follow policies not applicable nationwide. This book connects the dots between these disparate studies to provide child welfare practitioners, policy makers, and students with a broader picture of the state of American youth following discharge from foster care. It examines not only child welfare policies but also related policies in areas such as housing and education that may contribute to the success or failure of foster youth in society. It additionally draws lessons from successful programs to provide readers with the tools needed to develop foster and after-care systems that more closely mirror the support afforded to youth in the general population.

Institutional placements in foster care are out-of-home, non-family placements where some foster youth are sent to live. Each year, of the hundreds of thousands of youth in foster care, over 43,000 live in institutional placements. These placements disproportionately impact Black youth, other youth of color, older youth, and pregnant and parenting teens. Due to calls to reckon with longstanding institutionalized racism, the spread of COVID-19 through institutions, concern over the use of forceful restraints, emerging research on trauma, and the recent death of 16 year-old Cornelius Fredericks in a Michigan group home, there is a growing body of research and a movement calling for the reduction or elimination of institutional placements in foster care. Missing from this conversation was a deep, nuanced understanding of the experiences and mental models of young people who have recently lived in these places. This study exists to fill that gap.

Representing an often overlooked population in social work literature, this book explores the experiences of LGBTQ youth as they navigate the child welfare system. Adam McCormick examines the entirety of a youth’s experience, from referral into care and challenges to obtaining permanency to aging out or leaving care. Included throughout the book are stories from LGBTQ youth that address personal issues such as abuse, bullying and harassment, and double standards. Filled with resources to foster resilience and empower youth, this book is ideal for professionals who are hoping to create a more inclusive and affirming system of care for LGBTQ youth.

The foster care system is complicated and intimidating, which makes it all the more difficult for young people. This book outlines the steps, procedures, rules, and expectations involved in the often-frustrating world of foster care. Readers receive straightforward guidance in a reassuring, approachable, and inspiring tone.