Providing Effective Financial Aid Assistance to Students from Foster Care and Unaccompanied Youth: A Key to Higher Education Access and Success is a publication supported by Casey Family Programs, the Legal Center for Foster Care & Education, NAEHCY, and other organizations. It is a manual to assist college financial aid administrators to understand and apply the provisions in the College Cost and Reduction and Access Act of 2007 to include unaccompanied homeless youth and youth in the foster care system as independent students for the purposes of applying for federal financial aid. The publication includes an explanation of dependency status questions on the FAFSA form, an overview of the foster care system and of unaccompanied youth, and scenarios to help make appropriate determinations. Read More...

The guide highlights strategies for helping young people successfully transition from the foster care system and improving access to housing, education, employment, health, and other services. It also outlines key action steps local leaders can take to support youth in transition and highlights examples of successful programs from cities around the country. Read More...

This study documents the long term economic advantages of a privately funded foster care program compared to public programs. Read More...

Youth Aging Out of Foster Care Identifying Strategies and Best Practices February 2008 Issue brief outlining programs, policies, and best practices for helping aged out youth. Read More...

Foster Children Targets for Identity Theft By Jesse Ellison | NEWSWEEK Publishd Feb 7, 2009 - From the magazine issue dated Feb 16, 2009 Read More...

There is compelling evidence that foster children who stay in care beyond the age of 18 experience more positive outcomes, and fewer negative outcomes, than those who leave at/or around age 18. Youth who remain in care after 18 have higher rates of enrollment in high school completion programs and college and better access to health care as well as lower rates of unemployment, homelessness, and incarceration. Read More...

This report presents an overview of how community colleges in California are meeting the educational needs of current and former foster youth and seeks to: Provide for a better understanding of the needs of emancipated foster youth enrolled at community colleges; Examine successful responses to student needs from community colleges statewide; Identify challenges faced by community colleges in meeting student needs; and Make recommendations as to how programs can be enhanced, expanded, and improved. Read More...

For the past two decades, the federal government has sought to reduce the overrepresentation of children of color in both the child welfare and juvenile justice systems. Read More...

Read More...

This comprehensive review of policies and programs designed to support youth transitioning out of foster care spans all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Read More...