U.S News & World Report
COVID-19 Relief Funds Put Former Foster Kid on Stable Ground
According to a study by the University of Pennsylvania’s Field Center for Children’s Policy, Practice and Research, the effects of the pandemic were particularly pronounced on older foster kids and those who who aged out of foster care during the pandemic. More specifically, it created instability in the living arrangements, financial uncertainty and food insecurity.
“Almost half of the participants reported COVID-19 having a negative impact on their employment, including being laid-off, no longer having reliable gig work or having hours/income severely cut,” reads the Field Center report. “Two-thirds of the participants reported that COVID-19 was having a major negative impact on their educational progress or attainment. Slightly more than half of the participants reported symptoms of depression or anxiety.”