| Compared to youth without disabilities, youth with special needs experience much poorer foster care outcomes. The literature has shown that these youths are more likely to be maltreated, have poorer educational outcomes, are more likely to be institutionalized and experience more placement instability. Additionally, these youths have fewer opportunities to experience self-sufficiency as an adult - they have higher rates on unemployment homelessness and receive little guidance once emancipated from the foster care system. The purpose of this project was to identify a funding source and write a grant proposal to fund an advocacy program for foster parents of foster children with special needs. The advocacy program proposed includes a curriculum that involves educational workshops for foster parents and a training program for "parent partners" who will mentor foster parents in order to help foster parents navigate the multi-systems of care and advocate for the needs of foster youth with special needs. |
