Self-regulation, which is “the act of managing thoughts and feelings to enable goal-directed actions,” is important for all individuals but may be especially critical for adolescents and young adults. This practice brief from the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation discusses research on self-regulation and how caregivers can help support development of adolescent self-regulation, especially for youth who have been exposed to adversity. The brief also gives guidance to programs on how they can integrate supports for adolescents to assist with developing self-regulation abilities.

This brief from the University of New Hampshire’s Carsey School of Public Policy discusses demographics in Southwestern Minnesota, a rural area where the population is aging and becoming more diverse, particularly among youth. The goal of the brief is to analyze the circumstances youth face in this region, including consideration of economic, educational, and social indicators. Also discussed is the increasing inequality of opportunity, as well as the strengths of the region that could facilitate improvements to social circumstances and youth opportunities.

Based on provisions in the Affordable Care Act, approximately 180,000 youth who have aged out of the foster care system are eligible for extended health care coverage through age 26. However, only 13 states have made Medicaid coverage available to all former foster youth residing in that state. This brief from the National Center for Children in Poverty explores the health needs of youth in and aging out of foster care, restrictions applied by states, and recommendations that may help legislators remove barriers to access.

This collection of resources from the Annie E. Casey Foundation focuses on the millions of youth aged 16-24 who are out of school and not working. The resources can help policymakers and practitioners serve this population, often referred to as disconnected youth.

National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy staff and several partners held a webinar to discuss strategies for engaging youth in foster care. The webinar focused on three major components: partnerships necessary for working with youth in foster care; challenges to implementing Evidence Based Programs (EBPs) with youth in foster care, such as content that may trigger trauma; and strategies for addressing challenges practitioners face while implementing EBPs. Speakers throughout the webinar provided insights into existing programs and how their curricula can be implemented effectively by narrowing their focus on teen pregnancy prevention, healthy relationships, and recognition of the varied experiences of foster care youth.

This guide was created by the Children's Bureau to help caseworkers, foster parents, and other stakeholders learn about trauma experienced by youth in foster care. Additionally, the guide includes treatment options, including approaches other than medication, and strategies for seeking help for foster youth.

Today in the United States, 57,000 children are living in group placements. This report describes the importance of limiting the role of residential treatment care to its intended purpose, as well as how state and local leaders can work together to enhance family-oriented services. The end goal is to create brighter futures and families for America’s most vulnerable youth.

This tip sheet from the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy offers suggestions to foster parents about how to talk to their foster children regarding pregnancy. Studies show that youth in foster care are at a higher risk for early pregnancy than teens in general. Preventing these early pregnancies is important for various reasons, including that teen mothers are more likely to drop out of school, live in poverty, and have children who experience abuse and neglect.

The Youth Villages Transitional Living program is intended to help youth who were formerly in foster care or juvenile justice custody, or who are otherwise unprepared for adult life, to make the transition to independent living. This report presents key findings of participation levels, staff interviews, and implementation variation across different sites.

Youth transitioning out of foster care and into adulthood need various supports to navigate the challenges they face. Recently, federal child welfare policy has significantly increased the availability of these supports. In 1999, the Foster Care Independence Act amended Title IV-E of the Social Security Act to create the Chafee Foster Care Independence Program. This amendment increased funds available to states for independent living services including training in daily living skills, education and employment assistance, counseling, and case management. Although these funds can be spent on a wide range of services and supports, much of the funding is being spent on services aimed at promoting educational attainment, which has become increasingly essential to economic self-sufficiency and better lifelong outcomes.