• “We all bring ourselves and our histories to our work. If I better understand the emotions and experiences that have shaped [my colleagues], I can connect with them on a personal level, which helps drive outcomes.”

    -Victor, foster care alumus

Stories of Foster Care Alumni

This website features the unique stories of 14 foster care alumni, their career experiences, and their recommendations for how the workplace can be improved.

Themes

Through the stories people shared, a constellation of themes emerged, which involved:

  • Giving back

  • Self-reliance

  • Security

  • Healthy relationships at work

Listen on Soundcloud

Missing Voices

Over 12 million adults spent time in foster care as a child.*

Existing literature about foster care alumni has focused on: (1) research that examines the negative outcomes of foster care, (2) research about aging out of the foster care system, and (3) a growing area of narrative research.

Foster care alumni bring unique experiences and perspectives to the workplace,** and their voices deserve to be heard.

*Miller, J. J., & Owens, L. W. (2014). Leveraging the Experiences of Foster Care Alumni: A Mixed-Method Model for Organizing. Child Welfare, 93(2), 47–74.

**39 Types Of Diversity In The Workplace In 2022 | Built In. (n.d.). Retrieved July 31, 2022, from https://builtin.com/diversity-inclusion/types-of-diversity-in-the-workplace