In an effort to highlight the most important issues identified by foster youth, advocacy organization Foster Youth in Action conducted a poll last October of more than 500 foster youth. Results indicated that sibling visitation, homelessness prevention, college access and success, and opportunities for independent living are the top priorities among current and former foster youth.
The current and former foster youth polled ranged in age from the early teens to the early 30s, and priorities changed over time. For example, while the issue of healing from trauma registered as a concern for only 29 percent of youth ages 13 to 17, that number spiked among youth 25 years of age and older, earning 63 percent of votes. (It was the number one priority for former foster youth age 31 or older.) A similar example was the concern of homelessness prevention. Being of importance to only 30 percent of the youth ages 13 to 17, it nearly doubled at 58 percent for those ages 18 to 24.
To read more of Sable Locci's article, please click here.
To read Lifting up the Priorities of the Nation's Foster Youth, please see the attached report.
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