Foster Care Outcomes

The poor outcomes for children who have been in the foster care system have been well documented.;These include lower high school graduation rates, higher unemployment, and lower earnings (see Former Foster Youth: Employment Outcomes Up To Age 30, Unemployment Rampant Among Former Foster Youth, and How Many Foster Kids Graduate From High School).

Many of these poorer life outcomes have been linked to high rates of trauma and mental health conditions among foster care youth. Research shows that 60% to 80% have experienced trauma, with a high proportion with post-traumatic stress disorder (see Trauma And Children In . . .