ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Young adults of color with foster care experience are disproportionately represented in foster care in the United States. Developing meaningful connections with child welfare professionals can help young adults develop healthy relationships in emerging adulthood. OBJECTIVE: This exploratory qualitative study addressed how young adults with foster care experience described their relationships with child welfare professionals and the impact of these relationships on their overall mental health and well-being in young adulthood. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: A sample of young adults of color, (ages 18-29) with lived experience in foster care from a performing arts program in New York City. METHODS: Reflexive thematic analysis was conducted on 14 semi-structured interviews with young adults of color with prior or ongoing foster care experience. RESULTS: The following themes were identified: safe space to be myself, listen to more than words, and understand my trauma. Child welfare professionals were dropped from support networks if they were disingenuous or did not attend to their own self-care needs. CONCLUSIONS: The study underscores the importance of promoting positive mental health outcomes for young adults through building stronger connections with child welfare professionals. Future research should explore the incorporation of individualized approaches to better serve this population of young adults.
