Best Practices & Results

Best Practices and Results in Foster Care

Connected by 25: A Plan for Investing in Successful Futures for Foster Youth
The Youth Transitions Funders Group - Foster Care Work Group

A new publication from the Annie E. Casey Foundation:

• Urges new investments and outlines five strategies to prepare foster youth-and those leaving foster care-for the transition to economic success.
  
• Presents an investment strategy in which national, regional and local foundations can work together, support and build the capacity of communities to help foster youth and young adults leaving foster care become economically successful.
  
• Outlines the indicators and performance measures that communities and foundations can use to assess impact, influence and leverage.
  
• Identifies three communities nationwide in which the national, regional and local foundations participating in the Foster Care Work Group will explore co-investment opportunities to implement the economic success strategies.

http://www.aecf.org/kidscount/kcnetwork/issues/documents/
Connected_by_25.pdf

School to Career and Postsecondary Education for Foster Care Youth

The report argues that effective strategies to prepare foster care youth for career opportunities and economic self-sufficiency must create pathways to high wage, high skill jobs, which can only be achieved when programs provide orientation, skills development and social support to connect foster care youth to postsecondary education and training. It includes brief descriptions of 14 effective programs; identifies major funding sources in the education, welfare and social support systems that might be tapped; and makes recommendations for comprehensive long-term program strategies to help prepare foster care youth for postsecondary education and high-wage careers.
http://www.workforcestrategy.org/publications/promisingpractices2.pdf

Corporate Partnerships Increase Adoption of Foster Children

What do hospitals, furniture retailers, and children's clothing stores have in common? Through innovative partnerships with adoption agencies, they have all helped waiting children find homes. An estimated 110,000 foster children in the United States need permanent homes. Many of them are school-age or older, were abused or neglected, are mentally or physically challenged, or are part of a sibling group. Successful projects in Illinois and Massachusetts have generated widespread interest and been successful in finding adoptive families. New corporate partners, particularly African-American-run or owned businesses, are currently being sought to expand the pool of permanent families. In November, Family Builders Adoption Network — a national network of 15 public and private adoption agencies — launched a national interstate program to match children with families.
http://cbexpress.acf.hhs.gov/articles.cfm?article_id=227

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