Youth from backgrounds that have been racially marginalized or low socioeconomic communities are overrepresented in child welfare and juvenile justice.  

Collaboration between these systems can aid dually involved youth—ensuring fair services, reducing disparities, and enhancing outcomes.  

Access resources and strategies for equitable change in the updated web section Collaboration With Juvenile Justice Agencies. 

Rising rates of people experiencing depression and other mental health challenges underline the need for screening and offering family-centric resources to curb abuse, enhance parenting skills, and foster child development. Home-visiting programs aid families by offering parenting education, mental health services, and referrals to community programs.  

Explore Home Visiting and Maternal Mental Health for resources addressing this aspect of family well-being. 

Thousands of youth in foster care age out without a support network, facing high risks of homelessness, unemployment, and more. Think of Us developed a report, Aged Out: How We’re Failing Youth Transitioning Out of Foster Care, that reimagines their transition. It highlights three key thematic areas that the child welfare system must focus on to promote improved outcomes for young people transitioning out of care:  

• Helping youth heal from trauma 
• Preparing youth for the transition to adulthood 
• Helping youth build their support networks 

Part one of this two-part discussion on aging out of foster care focuses on these three main themes from the report. 

Youth transitioning from foster care to adulthood encounter unique challenges. Additional support is crucial for their self-sufficiency. Below, find resources on education, employment, housing, and life skills for caseworkers helping youth transition and young people preparing to embark on independent lives. Explore how to better empower transitioning youth. 

• Transition to Adulthood and Independent Living 
  Learn about emerging practices, extended foster care, and programs that help set up youth for successful independent living.  

• Providing Support Services for Youth in Transition 
  Explore the different types of supports available to youth who are transitioning from care. Also, find specific resources for youth transitioning to adulthood. 

These tools empower a smoother transition from foster care to independent living. Share them with youth and aid their journey toward self-sufficiency.  

Use the outreach toolkit to spread the word in your community and make sure these resources reach youth who need them.  

Do you know how to assess whether a child is ready for school? These screening and assessment tools can help. 

As families prepare for their children to return to school, assessing a child's needs is crucial. Check out Child Welfare Information Gateway's resource collection Assessing Child School Readiness. From preschool to high school, discover tools to evaluate learning environments, address challenges, and ensure educational stability.  

Find state and local examples of strategies that you can share with educators in your communities and incorporate into your day-to-day practice. Read an essay on one district's journey to measure student readiness for high school and incorporate lessons learned, or explore West Virginia's comprehensive school readiness profile and see how data are used to gain a deeper understanding of students. 

Help the children and families you serve to gear up for success this back-to-school season.