Foster Youth Presented Solutions for Child Welfare Reform at Cambridge Forum
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (November 7, 2025) — Young people with lived experience in the foster care system presented projects at Boston CASA's first in-person Youth Advisory Board Forum on Nov. 1 at the Cambridge Public Library. The presentations addressed critical child welfare issues and proposed solutions backed by original research and personal insights.
Three youth delivered actionable recommendations on topics ranging from communication gaps between foster youth and Department of Children and Families caseworkers to health challenges facing teens in care. The presentations included: "Out of Reach: The Disconnect Between Youth and DCF," "More Than a Placement: Understanding the Whole Child in Foster Care," and "Substance Use and Its Interference with Teens Diagnosed with Diabetes."
Their recommendations included increasing youth knowledge of DCF resources, implementing trauma-informed care approaches to avoid re-traumatization, and equipping youth with healthy coping strategies and support for managing long-term health conditions. The youth presenters emphasized the need for youth-informed training for DCF staff that goes beyond policy to focus on building trust and communication skills when interacting with children and families who have experienced trauma.
Massachusetts' 8,200 foster youth face significant challenges: 58% graduate high school, just 3-4% earn a college degree, nearly half experience homelessness by age 26, 70% are arrested at least once, and 7 out of 10 foster girls are pregnant by age 21.
"This forum was the culmination of months of hard work by our Youth Advisory Board," said Nicole Stewart, executive director of Boston CASA. "These young people dedicated themselves to researching issues that matter most to foster youth and developing solutions that could drive real change in the child welfare system."
The Youth Advisory Board (YAB) program runs from February through November and helps participants develop critical advocacy skills including public speaking, leadership and community engagement. In addition to the presentations, the forum also included a youth panel discussion and showcased community partnerships supporting transitional-age foster youth.
"Watching these young people present with confidence was incredibly powerful," said Jaylene Tiscareno, transitional age youth coordinator at Boston CASA. "They've found their voices and are using them to influence the systems that affect their lives."
The forum was attended by Boston CASA staff, volunteers, community partners and supporters of the organization's mission to advocate for children and youth, many of whom are in foster care.
To learn more about Boston CASA and the Youth Advisory Board (YAB) program, visit www.bostoncasa.org.
About Boston CASA: Boston CASA recruits, trains and supports volunteers to serve as Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs) in Suffolk and Middlesex counties for children removed from their homes due to abuse and neglect, most of whom end up in foster care. Unlike mentors, CASAs are sworn in by a judge and granted legal authority to submit independent reports to the court, offering a direct line of influence in the decisions that shape a child's future. Research shows that just one consistent adult can change a child's trajectory. Learn more at www.bostoncasa.org.
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Nicole Stewart, Executive Director of Boston CASA, speaks at Youth Advisory Board (YAB) Forum. Photo Credit: David Massillon.