This overview summarizes issues critical to the well-being of children and youth in foster care that the Legislature should consider and act on in 2021.

Caregivers, children, and youth must have access to supports that are designed to stabilize placements and strengthen relationships.

Child care is critical to finding and maintain stable placements for our youngest children in foster care.

Now more than ever children and youth currently or formerly in foster care and their caregivers need access to 24/7 trauma-informed supports.

With proper supports and services, students in foster care can overcome the unique barriers to education they face and thrive academically.

Students in foster care need critical educational supports to help them recover from and prevent further pandemic-driven learning loss.

Improved transparency around the targeted supports provided and broader data collection and analysis are key to improving the educational outcomes of students in foster care.

Significant work remains to be done to ensure youth currently and formerly in foster care have access to the housing they need to stabilize.

To heal from prior trauma, current and former foster youth need access to comprehensive health services tailored to their individual needs.

Family First must be implemented thoughtfully to better serve families, while keeping them together.