Lifting up foster youth voices to help children and families thrive
Our Vision
The National Foster Youth Institute's vision is that the child welfare system is transformed into a community of support centered on child well-being and lived experiences.
Our Mission
NFYI empowers current and former foster youth, their families, and communities to use their lived experiences to bring about systemic policy changes in the child welfare system nationwide.
We bring together a diverse team of experts, including former foster youth, to drive meaningful change in child welfare. Our board and staff include leaders with lived experience, and our youth members are shaping a movement to ensure every young person impacted by foster care has the support, resources, and opportunities they need to thrive. Working collaboratively with community members and partners, we create solutions that foster connection, honor our shared future, and deepen our impact.
WHO BETTER TO ADVOCATE FOR FOSTER CARE BESIDES THE FOSTER YOUTH WHO LIVE THROUGH IT?
BRIAN MORGANTINI
On any given day, nearly 400,000 children are in foster care in the U.S.
Foster children are America’s children. They enter the system through no fault of their own — often in moments of crisis that separate them from everything familiar, including siblings. When a child enters foster care, the government becomes their caretaker, responsible for their safety, education, and well-being. But a system meant to protect can often feel isolating and uncertain.
Foster care is supposed to be temporary — a bridge to reunification with family or a path to a stable home. But too often, the system fails to deliver on its promise. Many youth cycle through multiple placements and schools, face abuse, or age out without the support they need to build a secure future. The consequences are stark: former foster youth experience higher rates of homelessness, unemployment, incarceration, and poor health. Families, too, struggle — often left without the resources that could have kept them together in the first place.
Each year, 20,000 young people age out of foster care.
Transitioning into adulthood is tough for anyone, but for foster youth — who are often on their own at 18 or 21 — the challenges can be overwhelming. One in five will experience homelessness. By 24, only half will have a job. Many face financial insecurity, with average earnings of just $7,500 per year. A quarter will be incarcerated within two years of aging out.
NFYI believes we can do better for America’s children. With the right policies, community support, and access to resources, young people leaving foster care can thrive. Agencies, mentors, and families can play critical roles in guiding them forward. And at NFYI, we’re building a nationwide community dedicated to ensuring no young person faces this transition alone.
Our members — current and former foster youth — are shaping a movement alongside caregivers, allies, and decision makers. These young leaders are students, attorneys, first responders, teachers, small business owners, and public servants. They come from cities, suburbs, rural towns, and reservations. What unites them is a shared experience in foster care and a commitment to creating a better future for the next generation.
NFYI was founded to transform the child welfare system
Launched in 2012 by the current LA Mayor Karen Bass when she was in Congress, NFYI has amplified the voices of thousands of current and former foster youth — driving policy change, shifting perceptions among decision makers, and equipping young leaders with the tools to make an impact.
We are uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between local realities and federal policies. By staying connected to the ground-level experiences of youth, families, and communities, NFYI identifies challenges with the implementation of legislation meant to support foster youth. We ensure that the voices of those most affected by the child welfare system are heard, both in Congress and in the communities that need change most.