Voices of Foster Youth

Experts on Their Own Lives

Sue D. Hobbs, Jennifer M. Krebsbach, Rakel P. Larson, Christine R. Wells, Karen J. Saywitz

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2024
• eBook ISBN: 9781040041680
• Topic: Psychology
• Subtopic: Educational Psychology
• Index: Psychology

This important book offers unique insight into the experience of foster youth from 27 countries around the world. It provides a systematic review of literature reporting the experiences of youth in care, addressing a wide range of key topics in this multidisciplinary field, and presenting the views and perceptions of these young people.

Including a meta-analysis on contact with birth parents, it examines youth's experiences of the foster care system; contact and relationships; caregiving and relationships with caregivers; placements; and emotional well-being. These five core themes embrace a wide range of crucial topics including foster youth's involvement in decisions about themselves; interactions with social workers, birth families, foster families, peers, and friends; the benefits and challenges of foster care; the stigma attached to being in care; mental health, well-being, and belonging; and developing a sense of self.

This essential volume is for students and scholars of child and adolescent development, social work, education, sociology, and public health. Illustrated with quotes from former and current foster youth, and with research-based recommendations for best practices in foster care, it is also for professional social workers, psychologists, child advocates, children's therapists, children's attorneys, youth workers, and foster parents.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Endorsements
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• About the Authors
• Acknowledgements
• Preface
• 1 The Importance of Listening to Foster Youth: “I was invisible unless I was acting out. Then I was a monster”
• 2 Children's Attitudes and Knowledge of the Foster Care System: “I'd like to know the truth about why we went into foster care”
• 3 Youth Involvement in Decisions about Themselves: “I haven't really had involvement in my case plan. I don't really get told much about my life”
• 4 Children's Relationships with Their Social Workers: “[She] looks at you and thinks, ‘you're just a piece of paperwork’”
• 5 Contact with Birth Families: “You don't even know what [mom] looks like anymore”
• 6 Differences between Foster and Birth Families: “These [parents] are mine, even though we're not blood related”
• 7 Children's Experiences of Transitions into and during Foster Care Placement: “It's like you're being kidnapped”
• 8 Challenges and Benefits of Being in Care: “I've never had it so easy, I get twice as much [food] and I don't have to fight for it!”
• 9 Mental Health, Well-Being, and Belonging: “If I am very sad, I write it all down and after that I burn it”
• 10 Feeling Different from Others and Sense of Self: “People were laughing at me because I didn't have a mum”
• 11 Summary and Youth Recommendations: “Take the time to listen to what we have to say”
• Appendix A: Systematic Literature Search Methodology
• Appendix B: Descriptive Summary of Included Studies, Including Quality Assessment Scores
• Appendix C: Search Strategy for Efficacy of Interview Methods with Children in Foster Care
• Author Index
• Subject Index