Children’s Bureau/ACYF/ACF/HHS

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FACTSHEET

September 2015

Promoting Protective Factors 

for Children and Youth in 

Foster Care: A Guide for 

Practitioners

WHAT’S INSIDE

Why focus on 

protective factors? 

Lessons from the 

research literature 

Using protective 

factors for children and 

youth in foster care 

Where to go from here? 

Conclusion

Resources

Protective factors are conditions or attributes 

of individuals, families, communities, or the 

larger society that, when present, promote 

well-being and reduce the risk for negative 

outcomes. These factors may “buffer” the 

effect of risk exposure and help individuals 

and families negotiate difficult circumstances 

and fare better in school, work, and life.

Why Focus on Protective Factors?

Youth in foster care are often exposed to multiple risk 

factors, putting them at risk for negative outcomes. 

Intervention and prevention efforts intended to 

reduce risk factor exposure can be effective, but 

they may also take longer to show evidence of 

impact. At the same time, children and youth in 

foster care are considered to be already in risk 

given the conditions leading up to their placement 

in foster care. Practitioners working with these 

children, youth, and families can effectively work 

to build protective strengths at the individual, 

relationship, and community levels that will help 

them face and overcome trauma or adversity. 
This material may be freely reproduced and distributed. However, when doing so, please credit Child Welfare Information Gateway. 

This publication is available online at https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/guide-fostercare/.

Building the protective factors of children and youth 

in foster care can help increase their resilience in the 

short term. It can also help promote skills, personal 

characteristics, knowledge, relationships, and 

opportunities that offset risk factors and contribute to 

improved well-being and positive longer term outcomes. 

For example, the academic skills of youth in foster 

care are related to future earnings and employment. 

Instead of waiting to measure employment outcomes 

as an adult, practitioners can target and track academic 

improvements each quarter as an interim result 

contributing to future employment success. 

Lessons From the Research Literature 

To address the broad spectrum of the U.S. Department 

of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration on 

Children, Youth and Families’ (ACYF’s) programs and 

populations, ACYF commissioned Protective Factors for 

Populations Served by the Administration on Children, 

Youth and Families: A Literature Review and Theoretical 

Framework (http://www.dsgonline.com/ACYF), a 

literature review and expert consultation effort that 

distilled findings on protective factors relevant to the 

five populations it serves: homeless and runaway youth, 

children exposed to domestic violence, victims of child 

abuse and neglect, youth in and aging out of foster care, 

and pregnant and parenting youth. As a result of that 

review, a general framework for organizing and applying 

protective factors was developed outlining the evidence 

for protective factors at the individual, relationship, and 

community levels.

The findings presented in this factsheet are based on a 

thorough review of current research linking protective 

factors to well-being for children and youth in and 

transitioning out of foster care. 

Protective Factors 

The following presents the nine protective factors 

with the strongest evidence to date for youth in 

and aging out of foster care.

Individual Level

Self-regulation skills

Relational skills

Academic skills

Relationship Level

Parenting competencies

Caring adults

Living with family member(s)

Community Level

Positive school environment

Stable living situation

Supports for independent living

Promoting Protective Factors for Children and Youth in Foster Care: A Guide for Practitioners https://www.childwelfare.gov

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Focusing on this in-risk population has spotlighted 

specific factors that carry moderate or strong association 

with improved well-being, which can complement broader 

protective factors reviews. This review also revealed the 

need to enhance the evidence base through further 

research and practice in order to better understand the 

measures for tracking progress and the policy context and 

strategies that contribute to effective interventions. The 

review highlights the importance of working at multiple 

levels to impact individual skills and knowledge, focus 

on nurturing relationships, and increase supports and 

opportunities available in the broader community.1

1 Protective factors demonstrating evidence with general populations may 

also be protective for ACYF-specific populations. Omission of a factor here 

does not mean it cannot be protective for these youth; it primarily means 

that there is currently no strong or moderate evidence showing its protective 

nature for children and youth in or transitioning out of foster care based on 

this literature review.
Using Protective Factors for Children 

and Youth in Foster Care

Which individual skills and capacities can improve the 

well-being of children and youth in foster care?

At the individual level, evidence is strongest for the 

protective nature of self-regulation skills, relational skills, 

and academic skills for children and youth in foster care. 

Self-regulation skills refer to a youth’s ability to manage 

or control emotions and behaviors, which can include selfmastery, anger management, long-term self-control, and 

emotional intelligence. Children and youth in foster care 

who effectively regulate or control their emotions have 

fewer placement disruptions and behavior problems and 

are more likely to find employment when they exit foster 

care.

Relational skills refer to a youth’s ability to form positive 

bonds and connections (e.g., social competence, being 

caring, forming prosocial relationships) as well as his or 

her interpersonal skills (e.g., communication skills and 

conflict-resolution skills). In the existing research on youth 

in foster care, relational skills primarily refer to a youth’s 

ability to positively interact with foster parents, teachers, 

and positive peers. These skills are related to positive 

outcomes such as stability and satisfaction with foster 

care placements, improved secure attachment, reductions 

in delinquency, and fewer disruptions in placement.

Academic skills refer to school conduct, educational 

status, and educational attainment. For youth in foster 

care, academic skills are related to greater stability in outof-home placements as well as improvements in future 

earnings, employment, and wages.

How can parents, guardians, and other adults 

contribute to the well-being of children and youth in 

foster care?

At the relationship level, parents, extended family 

members, and other adults can be important sources of 

protection for children and youth in foster care.

Parenting competencies of both the birth and foster 

parents are very important for the well-being of children 

and youth in foster care. These parenting competencies 

include specific skills such as supervising and disciplining 

children and relational factors that promote bonds 

between children and parents. Today, numerous 

programmatic interventions focus on developing 

parenting competencies. These programs have found that 

improvements in parenting competencies are related to 

positive outcomes, such as reductions in child behavior 

problems, fewer disruptions in out-of-home placements, 

and increases in social skills and psychological 

adjustment. Improvements in parenting competencies 

have also been linked to the likelihood of children being 

reunited with their parents.

The presence of a caring adult is particularly important 

for teens and young adults in and aging out of foster care. 

These caring adults are usually not family members and 

may be mentors, advocates, teachers, or other adults. The 

presence of a caring adult is related to numerous positive 

outcomes for these young people including greater 

resilience, lower stress, less likelihood of arrest, reductions 

in homelessness, higher levels of employment, less 

delinquent conduct, favorable health, and less suicidal 

ideation.

Living with family members, often called kinship care, 

is another important relationship-level protective factor 

for children and youth in foster care. Research indicates 

that youth in kinship care placements experience fewer 

out-of-home placements, have lower rates of juvenile 

justice involvement, and exhibit less antisocial conduct 

than youth placed in traditional foster care or group home 

placements.

Promoting Protective Factors for Children and Youth in Foster Care: A Guide for Practitioners https://www.childwelfare.gov

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This material may be freely reproduced and distributed. However, when doing so, please credit Child Welfare Information Gateway. 

This publication is available online at https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/guide-fostercare/.
How can we create a community that supports the 

well-being of children and youth in foster care?

Research has linked three community-level factors to 

positive outcomes for children and youth in foster care: 

A positive school environment offers an important 

source of protection for children and youth in foster care. 

Research has shown that supports such as educational 

liaisons for elementary and middle school students and 

programs for older adolescents transitioning from foster 

care to college are related to positive outcomes such as 

improved school performance, knowledge of college 

requirements, awareness of college life, and resilience.

A stable living situation, such as placement stability, 

permanency (i.e., reunification with birth family, a legally 

finalized adoption, or placement with a legal guardian), 

or aging out of foster care at a later age, is related to 

positive outcomes such as adaptability and success after 

leaving foster care. 

Finally, support for independent living is important for 

youth transitioning out of foster care. Receiving support 

from independent living programs is associated with 

educational attainment, employment, housing, health, 

and a range of life skills.

Where to Go From Here?

Practitioners working with children and youth in and 

transitioning out of foster care have an important role 

to play in using protective factors as part of program 

strategies and in continuing to develop the evidence base 

for protective factors in this population. Practitioners can 

do the following:

 Engage in advocacy, policy development, and 

community engagement activities to inform 

policymakers about the importance of placement 

stability and permanency, and the benefits of aging 

out of foster care at a later age. 

 Include program components for children and 

youth in foster care that focus on building 

evidence-based individual factors (self-regulation 

skills, relational skills, and academic skills).

Components can include individual counseling, 

group counseling, and involving youth in foster 

care in programs for the general population that 

strengthen self-regulation, relational, and academic 

skills. Integrating youth in care into general population 

programs can help them connect with positive peers 

and build relationships with caring adults. They can 

also benefit from programs designed specifically for 

systems-involved youth as well as individual counseling 

that aim to strengthen these three important skills. 

 Include program components that build on 

protective factors at the relationship level. 

Practitioners can ensure that both biological and 

foster parents are receiving the support they need 

to develop parenting competencies. While there are 

many programs addressing parenting competencies, 

an appropriate program will have the capacity to work 

with parents who are involved in foster care and to 

incorporate a culturally sensitive approach. Providing 

opportunities for older youth in foster care to connect 

with mentors or other caring adults is another 

important strategy at the relationship level. Finally, 

kinship care should be considered whenever possible. 

 Include program components for these children 

and youth at the community level. This may include 

efforts to ensure that there are supports for youth in 

foster care at school and providing access to quality 

independent living programs.

 Include an evaluation component that will help 

build the evidence base for protective factors already 

showing some research support, as well as for those 

factors that have been useful in a practice context, but 

do not yet have evidence of impact. 

Promoting Protective Factors for Children and Youth in Foster Care: A Guide for Practitioners https://www.childwelfare.gov

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This material may be freely reproduced and distributed. However, when doing so, please credit Child Welfare Information Gateway. 

This publication is available online at https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/guide-fostercare/.
Conclusion

No single program or initiative is likely to have the 

resources to address all pertinent factors, and it may 

not always be possible to incorporate protective factors 

at multiple levels. In such cases, the framework should 

be thought of as a guide to where collaboration might 

occur. If a program can work with one or two factors at 

the individual or relational levels, then this framework 

can help in selecting partners for collaboration who can 

address other evidence-based factors relevant to children 

and youth in foster care. 

It is vital that practitioners who work with children and 

youth in foster care use evidence-based strategies 

whenever possible. It can sometimes be difficult to 

identify programs and strategies that are designed 

specifically for this in-risk population. However, by 

focusing on enhancing the aforementioned protective 

factors, we can help ensure these in-risk youth have a 

better chance to enjoy positive life outcomes. 

Resources

Promoting Protective Factors Factsheets

(Development Services Group, Inc. [DSG], & Child Welfare 

Information Gateway) 

This factsheet is part of a series of factsheets for 

practitioners developed by DGS for ACYF. The series 

explores the importance of protective factors in working 

with the following in-risk populations served by ACYF: 

 Promoting Protective Factors for Children Exposed to 

Domestic Violence

https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/

guide-domesticviolence/

 Promoting Protective Factors for Children and Youth in 

Foster Care 

https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/

guide-fostercare/

 Promoting Protective Factors for In-Risk Families and 

Youth

https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/in-risk/

Promoting Protective Factors for Children and Youth in Foster Care: A Guide for Practitioners https://www.childwelfare.gov

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This material may be freely reproduced and distributed. However, when doing so, please credit Child Welfare Information Gateway. 

This publication is available online at https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/guide-fostercare/.

 Promoting Protective Factors for Pregnant and 

Parenting Teens

https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/

guide-teen/

 Promoting Protective Factors for Victims of Child Abuse 

and Neglect 

https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/

victimscan/

Protective Factors for Populations Served by the 

Administration on Children, Youth, and Families: A 

Literature Review and Theoretical Framework 

(ACYF & DSG) 

ACYF contracted DSG to examine the research and 

develop a literature review on protective factors relevant 

to ACYF’s target populations. Information and resources 

gleaned from this examination helped inform this 

factsheet and aid the development of graphic models 

and a brief for researchers. Access the Protective 

Factors Literature Review, graphic models, and brief for 

researchers on the DSG website. 

http://www.dsgonline.com/ACYF

Protective Factors Approaches in Child Welfare 

(Child Welfare Information Gateway) 

This issue brief provides an overview of protective factors 

approaches to the prevention and treatment of child 

abuse and neglect. It is designed to help policymakers, 

administrators, child welfare and related professionals, 

service providers, advocates, and other interested 

individuals understand the concepts of risk and protective 

factors in families and communities and learn ways in 

which building protective factors can help to lessen risks 

for child abuse and neglect. 

https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/issue-briefs/

protective-factors/
Prevention Resource Guide 

(HHS’s Children’s Bureau, Office on Child Abuse and 

Neglect; Child Welfare Information Gateway; FRIENDS 

National Center for Community-Based Child Abuse 

Prevention; & Center for the Study of Social Policy—

Strengthening Families) 

This guide was created primarily to support communitybased child abuse prevention professionals who work 

to prevent child maltreatment and promote well-being. 

Find information on protective factors approaches 

to promoting well-being, working with families using 

protective factors, engaging communities, and protecting 

children. The guide also includes tip sheets for parents 

and caregivers and activity calendars—in both Spanish 

and English. Access the guide through the National Child 

Abuse Prevention Month website. 

https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/preventing/

preventionmonth/resource-guide/

This factsheet was written by Development 

Services Group, Inc., for the Administration on 

Children, Youth and Families. 

Suggested citation: 

Development Services Group, Inc., & Child Welfare 

Information Gateway. (2015). Promoting protective 

factors for children and youth in foster care: A guide for 

practitioners. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health 

and Human Services, Administration on Children, Youth 

and Families, Children’s Bureau.

Promoting Protective Factors for Children and Youth in Foster Care: A Guide for Practitioners https://www.childwelfare.gov

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 

Administration for Children and Families 

Administration on Children, Youth and Families 

Children’s Bureau