A Community-Participatory Study of Homelessness Among Youth with Experience in Foster Care

Project Overview

The Texas Institute for Child & Family Wellbeing partnered with ECHO and Change 1 to conduct a study on foster youth and homelessness. ECHO serves as the lead agency in the Austin/Travis County Homelessness Response System, and Change 1 is an Austin-based organization providing support for youth aging out of foster care. With funding from the Moritz Center for Societal Impact, this community-participatory research study explored access to services, systems collaboration, and opportunities for effective prevention and intervention.

Project Purpose & Design

In Travis County, 55% of homeless young adults (ages 18–25) seeking housing assistance report a history in foster care. This indicates an urgent need to better understand their needs and experiences, identify opportunities for programmatic and policy changes, and increase coordination between homelessness response, child welfare, and other systems.

The TXICFW team implemented this project in three steps:

1. Develop an environmental scan of support services for youth aging out of foster care in Austin Travis County.
2. Conduct stakeholder interviews and focus groups.
3. Explore the experiences of young adults with foster care histories who have encountered homelessness through semi-structured interviews.

The research team shared findings with the community to increase awareness of the trauma of homelessness for those with lived experience in foster care. Additionally, findings informed recommendations for practice, programs, and policy.

Additional Project Staff

Nicole Kim, Research Coordinator

This project was completed in 2024. Please contact the Principal Investigator with any questions.