Older Youth in Foster Care & COVID-19: A Scoping Review

The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted individuals across the United States, with instability from COVID-19 disproportionally impacting the physical and mental health of individuals in marginalized and under-resourced social groups, including young people with a history of foster care placement. Five years following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the overall impact and consequences of the pandemic on this population is not fully understood. The Field Center is seeking to address this issue by conducting a scoping review of the available research. Our review provides a synthesis of current knowledge regarding the impact of COVID-19 on older youth in and aging out of foster care, with the goal of informing policy and practice and generating future research inquiries.