Foster Care in Focus: Challenges, Opportunities, and Pathways Forward

This book includes four chapters that detail the challenges, opportunities, and pathways forward regarding the foster care system. Chapter 1 examines the current landscape of educational interventions in foster care, identifies critical gaps, and outlines promising future directions to promote better outcomes. Chapter 2 addresses ethical and practical challenges in applying somatic interventions within foster care, reflecting on the responsibilities of professionals and the implications for trauma-informed practice. Chapter 3 examines the psychosocial functioning of birth families whose children have been placed in alternative care following judicial intervention. Lastly, chapter 4 highlights the systemic gaps in training, policy, and affirming placements while underscoring the resilience of LGBTQ+ youth in foster care.