As young adults transition out of the foster care system, they are faced with many challenges and obstacles to pursuing higher education. This presentation will highlight the educational outcomes, successes, and challenges of young adults who transition out of the foster care system.  First-hand accounts from higher education students with foster care experience will be presented to provide an insider look at students’ perspectives of helpful and unhelpful supportive approaches. Drawing from a strengths-based approach, this webinar illustrates the ways in which professionals can support and encourage students as they write their success stories.

Dr. Mitchell is a research assistant professor at the Center for Child and Family Studies in the College of Social Work at the University of South Carolina. She is the South Carolina Research Director for the National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD) federal data collection. Her research specialties include the lived experience of children and youth in foster care; life transitions; ambiguity; grief and loss; social support; spirituality; and youth empowerment. Her specific expertise involves informing programming and policy using child-centered research, providing consultation to invested parties in the child welfare system, and designing and developing youth workshops, resource kits, and learning programs that serve children and youth in foster care.

Links

• Upworthy.com article
• Webinar Recording on GoToWebinar