FREE Resource! Tools for Working with Youth in Foster Care

The Annie E. Casey Foundation is an amazing nonprofit that is focused on creating research-backed resources to aid those who work with children at risk of poor educational, economic, social and health outcomes. One of their major projects is the Kids Count Data Center, which is a great tool to use if you need national or state-level data to support grant applications or other projects. (We use it at BGCA all the time.)

Through one of their efforts, the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative, they recently released a new report called The Road to Adulthood aimed at those who work with youth in foster care, whether as afterschool providers or teachers or case workers, and it is phenomenal. While it gives specific practices for working with youth in foster care, much of it is applicable to any youth who has dealt with trauma. I particularly find the section on the latest research in adolescent brain development SO VALUABLE. I recommend printing this out and reading it through as part of your professional development.

AECF-RoadtoAdulthood-7.17-cover

In addition to the report, the Casey Foundation has created five printable handouts called Brain Frames that dive deeper into the report’s recommendations, with quick bullet points, fact boxes, and sample conversations. The topics include:

Brain Frames

Boys & Girls Clubs have a tremendous opportunity to be a positive force in the lives of youth in foster care, and these resources are a great addition to our youth development knowledge.

Do you have any other resources or tips for working with youth in foster care? Have you implemented an innovative program? Let us know in the comments below or email ClubXBlog@bgca.org and you could appear on the Club Experience Blog!

Image Credit: Annie E. Casey Foundation

2 thoughts on “FREE Resource! Tools for Working with Youth in Foster Care

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  1. This is amazing! As a Program Director and an adoptive mom of two kids (that I met at the Club), this makes my heart so happy to see!! I can’t wait to share this with the rest of my team and our other Club Sites!!

    1. Thank you so much! It’s such an important space we operate in, and we have such an incredible opportunity to make a difference. And as an adopted kid myself, I am so thankful for you!

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