The Experiences of California Foster Youth Liaisons: Supporting Students with Experience in Foster Care

• In Event: AERA Research in Progress Roundtable Session Five
  In Invited Roundtable: Research-in-Progress RT074 (Sunday)

Abstract

This study explores the lived experiences of California Foster Youth Liaisons (FYLs)—educators mandated under Assembly Bill 490 to ensure educational stability for students in foster care. Using a narrative inquiry approach grounded in Yosso’s Community Cultural Wealth framework and Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory, the study examines how FYLs navigate interconnected systems of policy, practice, and advocacy. Preliminary findings suggest FYLs balance compliance and care, drawing on relational, cultural, and emotional capital to support youth amid systemic constraints. Themes of role fluidity, networked advocacy, and policy-practice tension highlight the complex, often invisible leadership of FYLs. This research contributes to equity-driven policy and professional development efforts that center practitioner voice in improving outcomes for students in foster care.

Author

• Aurora M. Jimenez-Guerrero, Claremont Graduate University