It Takes a Village: Exploring How Continuing Education and Resource Utilization Helps to Guide Discussion Making Around Foster Children Prior To Aging Out of Care

Foster care is a complex and often overlooked aspect of our society. When children are placed in foster care, it is usually due to circumstances beyond their control. These children often come from traumatic and unstable backgrounds, and the foster care system becomes their temporary home.

However, one of the biggest challenges these children face is aging out of the system. As they reach the age of 18, they are expected to suddenly become independent adults, without the support and guidance that a stable family provides. By utilizing the CANS tool along with additional strength-base resources, foster children are equipped with the resources needed to navigate the challenging process of transitioning out of care.

This capstone will examine the implications for children aging out of foster care and the implementation of systematic research and interventions to address this issue. It will also examine the various strategies and interventions that have been successful in promoting continuing education and educational support. It takes a village to raise a child, and this is especially true for children in foster care.

By coming together as a community, investing in their education, advocation and utilizing available resources, foster youth will have a positive and successful transition to adulthood.