Finding Stability for Youth
One in four youth exiting foster care lack lasting connections to family or supportive adults. FosterClub believes that meaningful relationships post-care significantly enhance their chances to thrive.
Why It Matters
Young people in foster care often struggle to form lasting, supportive relationships. Such enduring and supportive relationships have proven to aid former foster youth in securing housing, education, and stable jobs. Professionals working with these youth should prioritize reconnecting them with birth families, chosen families, and other supportive figures through various means, including mentorship and community involvement.
There are 3 different types of permanency:
Legal Permanency
Legal family relationships like adoptive parents
Relational Permanency
Emotionally supportive relationships like a teacher or mentor
Cultural Permanency
Feeling connected to one’s culture/traditions
Quick Facts
- Youth who exit care without permanency are more likely to experience homelessness, poverty, and/or mental health challenges.
- Black and Native American youth are less likely to have supportive adult relationships after exiting foster care.
- 1 in 4 youth in foster care will live in a group placement setting. Youth in group placements are less likely to have supportive relationships with adults after exiting care.
“When I started high school, my life was in a downward spiral. I was fortunate enough to have some people that recognized that I had something better to offer and that I had the choice to change my life around. Without these people, I don’t know if I’d be here today.”
— Former foster youth
Tools You Can Use
- Here is a fact sheet of how caregivers can connect with birth parents in the hopes of family reunification.
- FosterClub has created this 1-pager with Information for LEx About Permanence.
- This is a helpful resource from Casey Family Programs about the importance of family visitation and connection for youth in foster care.
How We're Working on this issue
Journey to Success Campaign
FosterClub helps lead the Journey to Success Campaign, championing the rights of older foster youth, especially their right to permanency.
Through Washington DC visits, virtual training for child welfare professionals, and informative briefs, FosterClub collaborates with esteemed partners like Think of Us, American Academy of Pediatrics, Youth Law Center, and Partnership for America’s Children to amplify its impact.
National Foster Care Youth & Alumni Policy Council Priorities
The National Foster Care Youth + Alumni Policy Council's LEx members inform federal policymakers about real-life foster care experiences and advocate for vital child welfare reforms.
FosterClub's Permanency Pact
FosterClub's Permanency Pact is a collaborative tool, developed with LEx and adults, designed to assist youth and their support teams in achieving lasting permanency.
“They have each been very supportive of my goals. Never held judgment or bias against me for things that occurred previous to or while in care. Even after care.
— Former foster youth from Oklahoma
Want to Learn More?
Check out this resource about prioritizing family ties from the Journey to Success Program.
Data from the Casey Foundation shows how youth transition out of foster care.
Here’s a study with some helpful data that shows the need for permanency support for foster youth.
Blogs on Permanence
Improving How We Support Young People in Achieving Permanency
Written by Aleks Talsky, Member of the ACF All-In Youth Engagement Team Policymakers, agencies, and professionals continue to expand and develop best practices around achieving permanency for young people served by the child welfare system. Whether it is adoption, reunification, or guardianship, the path to permanency can look very different depending on the situation and the best interest of the...
New Recommendations Released - Historic Opportunity for Reform in Child Welfare: Older Youth Successful Transition to Adulthood
Today, the National Foster Care Youth & Alumni Policy Council released a new statement: A Historic Opportunity to Reform the Child Welfare System: Youth & Alumni Priorities on Older Youth Successful Transition to Adulthood with 4 priorities with consideration on how to move towards a 21st Century Child Welfare System. Priority 1: Well-Being: We need continuity of health services that...
The All-In Campaign: Every Child with a Forever Family!
Introducing the All-In campaign and the Youth Engagement Team - made up of 11 young people with lived experience in foster care, supported by Joshua Christian Oswald, who served as the Youth Engagement Coordinator under Associate Commissioner Jerry Milner. 2020, Assistant Secretary of the Administration of Children and Families (ACF) Lynn Johnson launched the All-In Campaign with the goal of...
*New* Recommendations from the Youth Engagement Team: Improving Permanency & Well-Being
Today, the All-In Youth Engagement Team released it's recommendations on Improving Permanency and Well-Being. These recommendations come from three roundtable discussions were held with the Youth Engagement Team and ACF Assistant Secretary Lynn Johnson, Commissioner Elizabeth Darling, and Associate Commissioner Jerry Milner. The topics discussed were 1) supporting permanency with kin, 2) supporting relational permanency and 3) supporting successful older...
All-In Campaign: Youth Engagement Team Members
In October 2020, the All-In Campaign Youth Engagement Team was launched with eleven young people with lived experience in foster care, led by Youth Engagement Coordinator, Joshua Christian Oswald. Learn more about why these young leaders are passionate about permanency and successfully supporting young people in permanency. Alex Oleson.png Alex Oleson is currently a member of the Youth Engagement Committee...
Youth Share Why Family Connections Matter
We asked youth to share how they stay connected with family (including parents & siblings), and why staying connected is important to them. Check out what they had to say, and learn why family connections matter. Interested in contributing your voice? Watch for our prize drawing here and the next contest! Virtually Connected! by Cheyenne Contest Blog.png My mom, her...