The following resources provide a broad range of materials, gathered from foster care youth that highlight best practices for engaging and involving youth to improve the foster care system.
Be Your Own Advocate! (PDF - 2,252 KB)
Arkansas Youth Advisory Board (2015)
Answers frequently asked questions about foster care and provides statewide resources for youth seeking additional information. Additionally, contact information is provided for Department of Children and Family Services staff.
Extended Foster Care in California: Youth and Caseworker Perspectives (PDF - 695 KB)
Napolitano, Sulimani-Aidan, & Courtney (2015)
Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago
Examines youth responses as part of the California Youth Transitions to Adulthood Study and discusses youths’ desires to age out or stay in care after age 18.
Fostering Advocates Arizona
Provides information and resources for youth aging out of foster care to prepare them for independence, from housing to employment to setting up a support system, as well as ways to advocate for public policy changes to improve the child welfare system.
Law for Kids
Arizona Foundation for Legal Services and Education
Explains relevant laws and how they affect youth. The website is interactive; youth can submit questions about the law and attorneys will answer them.
SAYSO: Strong Able Youth Speaking Out
Incudes information for youth ages 14–24 who are in foster care or were formerly part of the system in North Carolina. The organization aims to improve the child welfare system by educating the community, advocating for needed changes, and providing support for youth.
Youth in Progress
New York State Office of Children and Family Services
Raises public awareness of the experiences of youth in foster care in New York to improve policies and practices across systems. The program has a “Foster Care Need to Know” series that provides young people with helpful information on topics such as permanency, aging out of foster care, checking your credit score, and more.
Youth Perspectives on Out-of-Home Placement (PDF - 2,355 KB)
The Allegheny County Department of Human Services (2018)
Reports the findings from a survey of over 200 youth ages 14–17 about their experiences in foster care in Allegheny County. Youth communicated what they found to be important while in care, what information and resources were missing or lacking, and ideas about how their placement might have been prevented.
Youth Speak Out
Central Missouri Foster Care and Adoption Association
Connects older youth in Missouri who want to advocate for change in the foster care system and share their stories.