Mental Health Counselors’ Experiences Working with Fostered Youth

Abstract

There are roughly 440,000 foster youth living in the United States. Coupled with experiences of child welfare inequalities, foster youth are at an increased risk to develop mental and behavioral health issues. Mental health counselors are trained to advocate for their client’s mental and emotional well-being. However, minimal research demonstrates a counselor’s ability to work with foster youth. The current study adds to the existing body of research surrounding clinical work with children living in foster care. Using a transcendental phenomenology study to explore the experiences of mental health counselors working with foster youth, participants (N = 11) were interviewed about their knowledge, skills, and feelings of preparedness to work with children living within the foster care system. Implications for counseling practice, supervision, and counselor education are provided.