Impact Pulse: NPC’s Immigrant Youth Priority Drives Research
Welcome to Impact Pulse – a new spotlight series from the National Foster Youth & Alumni Policy Council that highlights how Council priorities are making a real-world difference. In this first post, we’re sharing how a priority about immigrant youth in foster care helped inspire new research!
For many young people in foster care, the journey can be incredibly hard. But for immigrant youth, there are even more challenges. From being separated from family to facing language barriers, these young people often don’t get the support they need.
In December 2022, the National Foster Youth & Alumni Policy Council (NPC) released a priority that highlighted how the foster care system fails immigrant youth. It pointed out serious gaps in care — like limited access to contacting family, mental health services, and support with immigration status. These gaps can leave young people feeling isolated and unsure of what’s next.
Why Better Support is Needed
Here are some key findings from the priority:
- 39% of immigrant youth were not allowed to contact their families after being separated.
- 25% didn’t know about mental health services available to them.
- Only 15% had someone talk to them about their immigration status when entering care.
One young person shared,
“I was [in the country for] 2 months when I got in foster care. No one tried to tell me where I was going. They didn’t explain to me anything. I didn’t talk to my parents until 2 months after being in foster care. And I wasn’t provided a Creole speaker to help me.”
This story shows just how real and painful these gaps can be.
Turning Awareness Into Action
The priority didn’t just raise awareness—it sparked action.
In December 2023, the Center on Immigration and Child Welfare Initiative (CICWI) partnered with the Council to share these findings. During a web-based presentation, Council members discussed the recommendations and explored ways to improve care for immigrant youth in foster care.
The event brought together researchers, social workers, and professionals who are ready to push for change.
A Breakthrough in Research
Dr. Kristina Lovato, Assistant Professor at UC Berkeley and Director of the Center on Immigration and Child Welfare Initiative, launched a new study focused on the mental health and well-being of immigrant transition-age youth. The study was directly inspired by the Council’s priority to support immigrant foster youth. As Dr. Lovato shared:
“When the priority on supporting immigrant foster youth was released, it was a big deal. A lot of people were talking about it, and it inspired [this study] as well.”
Even more powerful, a former NPC member helped with this study—not only by sharing their personal experience as an immigrant youth in foster care, but also by helping to shape the original priority during their time on the Council.
The Road Ahead: More to Be Done
This is a big step forward—but the work isn't over.
Immigrant youth in foster care need more than just physical safety. They need:
- Emotional support
- Cultural understanding
- Access to their families
- Help navigating immigration issues
The Council’s priority has already inspired meaningful change. But there’s more to be done.
Where to Learn more
If you’re interested in learning more about Dr. Lovato's study on immigrant transition-age youth, you can visit CICWI and Dr. Lovato’s UC Berkeley website.
About the Council
The National Foster Youth & Alumni Policy Council operates under the partnership of Casey Family Programs, Foster Care Alumni of America, and FosterClub, bringing together members from across the US with lived experience in foster care. Since 2012, we've developed 20 policy priorities to inform policy, focused on improving the system for current and future generations of youth in care.