Juvenile Law Center

Our Group

Youth Fostering Change, one of our youth engagement programs, offers youth who are currently or formerly involved in the child welfare system the opportunity to evaluate the system and develop and implement a campaign that works toward reform. Each year, Youth Fostering Change Youth Advocates select an area of focus, determine a strategy to address it, and implement their project. Along the way, Juvenile Law Center provides essential support, ensuring that the participants develop the skills they need to succeed.

Our Work

2011-2012

For its 2011-2012 campaign, Youth Fostering Change Youth Advocates have chosen to focus on improving life within foster and group homes. They are currently working on developing and implementing a "Teen Success Agreement" to facilitate better communication, collaboration, and goal-setting among older foster youth, foster parents, and social workers. 

The agreement—which would be developed and regularly reviewed by the youth, foster parent, and social worker—requires that they work together to outline age-appropriate responsibilities, rewards, consequences, activities, and life skills for the youth. The agreement also outlines caregivers' responsibilities to support the youth and help the youth achieve his or her goals.

The Teen Success Agreement is modeled after Florida's "Teen Normalcy Plan," mandated by the Florida state legislature, which outlines age-appropriate activities and responsibilities for youth ages 13-17 in licensed care and must be reviewed and approved every 90 days. 

2010-2011

In 2010, Youth Fostering Change selected improving youth's transition out of foster care and preparing them for independent living. Youth Advocates recommended a mandatory court hearing to ensure the quality of the youth's transition plan prior to discharging an individual from care. Members also developed a court form that youth would fill out and have family court judges review. This court form ensured that a youth exiting care has a meaningful and realistic plan for housing, education, employment, and health care. Youth Fostering Change met with Philadelphia Department of Human Services Commissioner Anne Marie Ambrose, as well as attorneys and other youth, to promote their recommendations and court form.

2009-2010

In 2009, the program's first year, Youth Fostering Change members chose to focus on the issue of aging out of care. The group produced "Life After Foster Care: Our Stories," a short film featuring interviews with youth about aging out of the system. They distributed copies of their video to key legislators and policy-makers around Pennsylvania.