Child Maltreatment Solutions Network conference to focus on supporting transition-age youth with foster care histories

Penn State’s Child Maltreatment Solutions Network will host its annual daylong conference, “Supporting Transition-Age Youth with Foster Care Histories: From Evidence to Action,” on Friday, Oct. 23, at the Nittany Lion Inn on the University Park campus. The conference will run from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with a virtual attendance option available for those unable to attend in person.

Each year, approximately 20,000 young people age out of the foster care system, while many more experience foster care placement during adolescence. As these young people transition into adulthood, they may face challenges related to housing stability, employment, and access to and completion of postsecondary education and vocational training.

The conference will bring together researchers, youth-serving system partners, and individuals with lived experience to examine current research, identify gaps in existing support systems, and discuss actionable strategies to improve outcomes for young people transitioning out of foster care.