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“Just Being There, Like a Shoulder to Lean On”
We conducted research to amplify the voices of young adults with foster care experience to raise awareness about the impact of COVID-19 on their mental health and how stakeholders can help. The findings can inform philanthropists, practitioners, and policymakers in better responding to the needs of young people.
The Experiences of Foster Youth During COVID-19
Our study provides practitioners, policymakers, and advocates with data and recommendations for a national response to COVID-19 as it affects older youth in foster care and those aged out of foster care.
Our Values
We have 4 core values
Justice
We work for the equitable treatment of children and families affected by the child welfare system, and its collateral systems of education, housing, health care and the law.
Expertise
We possess depth and breadth of knowledge related to child welfare research, scholarship, policy, practice, and teaching across multiple disciplines committed to child and family well-being.
Collaboration
We engage together in scholarship and advocacy, partnering with external organizations, and promoting interprofessional education and practice.
Advocacy
We advocate for evidence-based policies and practices that support the well-being of marginalized children and families.
Our Mission
The Field Center engages in interdisciplinary research, policy, advocacy, and education to promote best practices in creating and sustaining a child and family welfare and support system that is responsive to the needs of diverse families and communities.
Meet our Managing Faculty Director
Johanna Greeson, PhD, MSS, MLSP is an Associate Professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy & Practice and the Managing Faculty Director of the Field Center. Dr. Greeson is fervently dedicated to transforming the child welfare system, leveraging research to forge brighter futures for youth aging out of foster care, and harnessing the profound impact of connections with caring adults for all vulnerable youth. Her research agenda, driven by both evidence and empathy, focuses on resilience and the strengths that empower foster youth to not merely survive but thrive. Dr. Greeson has developed a theory-based and research-informed intervention for older youth in foster care, Caring Adults ‘R’ Everywhere (C.A.R.E.), focused on the cultivation of resilience through the development of supportive adult relationships for older youth in care.
The Field Center’s Aging Out Podcast
The Field Center’s Aging Out Podcast shares critical conversations with professionals shaping the future of child welfare. The series features in-depth interviews with leading advocates, policy experts, and social services professionals, offering insights into the complexities of the foster care system and child welfare policy, with a focus on older youth and the transition to adulthood.
Support Us, Support Children
Children and families need resources and support to thrive. Learn more about supporting our mission to promote best practices and inform policy in the systems that young people access through intentional, interdisciplinary, and collaborative research.
Keep In Touch With Us
Sign up for our mailing list to receive our child welfare newsletters and notifications of upcoming conferences and trainings.