Hire youth with lived experience for roles at your agency

About this recommendation

Diverse teams can identify and eliminate bias. Having youth with lived experience on your team can bring and keep the perspective of foster youth to the forefront of everyday tasks. It also provides meaningful employment opportunities for youth aging out of care in your system.

Child welfare systems are seeing success hiring youth with lived experience as foster parent trainers, clerical support, and foster parent recruiters.

How to do this

• Work with your HR department to find the best mechanism for setting aside position(s) specifically for those with lived experience.
• If possible, make ongoing therapy available and encouraged as part of employment, to help new employees process any feelings or situations that may arise when working within the system.

Anticipated costs and benefits

Who's doing this

2 of 54 states and territories have implemented this recommendation.

• New Mexico
• Prince George’s County, Maryland, hires a current or former foster youth to conduct foster parent training.