The Field Center engages in interdisciplinary research, policy, advocacy, and education to promote best practices in creating and sustaining a child and family welfare and support system that is responsive to the needs of diverse families and communities.
Lifebridge mobilizes, organizes, and equips communities to provide foster and at-risk youth with a safe, healthy environment to learn, grow and reach their full potential. Their responsive efforts assist with stabilizing youth and families impacted by adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Their preventive efforts disrupt unhealthy patterns and motivate youth to choose a productive lifestyle while providing them with the life skills…
This report highlights effective state strategies and promising approaches aimed at improving outcomes for foster youth in the following five areas: Education, Employment, Housing, Health Care, and Relationships.
Fostering Youth Transitions 2023: State and National Data to Drive Foster Care Advocacy is a unique compilation of data designed to inform federal and state policy efforts aimed at making a difference for young people in foster care. This overview brief and detailed profiles of the latest available data from all 50 states, along with the District of Columbia and…
A Way Home America is an advocacy organization ending homelessness for Black, Indigenous, youth of color, and LGBTQ+ youth, on a path to ending it for all. The circumstances that lead young people to experience homelessness are unique to the individual. They may be rooted in family conflict, like running away from an abusive household, or being kicked out of…
This nonprofit was founded to encourage, inspire, and empower youth with tools to be the best version of themselves. They offer journals, coloring books, and workforce readiness training to prepare youth the workforce, and most importantly build self-esteem through discovering their personal greatness.
The Dry Ground Project is a media project that aspires to be a global community of professionals caring for young adults aged out of orphanages and foster care. They have both a blog and a podcast that provides information and connections.
Research, practice, and policy focus on the importance of relationships with young people aging out of foster care, especially relational permanency. While previous research has examined these relationships, typically with mentors, foster parents, or biological parents, few have examined the quality of strong network ties within support networks. This study incorporated a network approach to understanding how youth discussed strong…
The lack of employment and job training in foster care is expected to hinder the growth of the child and youth services market. According to Ifoster, a US-based non-profit organization, after aging out of foster care, homelessness and unemployment become a huge challenge for youth. This report covers this and other child welfare issues globally. (There is a cost to…
A key purpose of NSEP is to expose youth to the field of social work as a college major and career choice. A second key purpose of NSEP is to encourage youth to complete high school, enroll in college and complete their post-secondary education. A third key purpose of NSEP is to assist foster youth in the development of life-skills,…