Episode 62 | Advocating For Children & Youth In Foster Care

In this episode, Janet speaks with Breana Frazier, a doctoral student at Florida International University whose research explores the foster care to juvenile delinquency pipeline.

Breana shares what we know about who enters the foster care system, why those numbers spiked in 2020, and how a lack of stability and trauma-informed support affects children long after they’re placed in care.

Together, Janet and Breana look at the emotional and educational challenges foster youth face, the high rates of undiagnosed learning issues, and why behavioral struggles are often misinterpreted rather than understood. They also discuss what happens when children become “crossover youth” who interact with both the child welfare and juvenile justice systems, and why these young people are so vulnerable to harsher punishments.

This conversation is a sobering look at the long term impact of trauma, but also a call to action. Breana highlights the importance of early intervention, consistent caregiving, and real trauma informed training for the adults who work within these systems.