Purpose: Research has established risk factors for homeless former foster youth. However, no studies have examined youths’ own feelings, opinions, and perceptions of their time in foster care, despite the research indicating the importance of youth voice. Descriptive findings will be presented, exploring the experiences and feelings of foster care among a sample of homeless former foster youth.
Materials and Methods: Data were collected from 173 homeless former foster youth at a drop-in center in Hollywood, California. Variables of interest included demographics, foster care experiences and homelessness experiences.
Results: Youth reported feeling a sense of belonging in the foster home, and that their foster parents respected their gender and sexual identities. However, youth also reported feelings of loneliness, experiencing racial discrimination, lack of physical needs being met, and physical, sexual, and verbal abuse in the foster home.
Conclusion: Results serve to highlight the complexity of experiences among this population. Implications from the results of this examination can be extended to child welfare services targeting prevention and treatment for homeless youth with a history of foster care.