From foster youth to foster scholar: Suggestions for emancipatory research practices

Abstract

• Institutionalized power and oppression relations of foster care are examined. • Emancipatory research practices are introduced to support youth in foster care. • A reflexive guide for researchers studying youth in foster care is provided. Youth with experience in foster care encounter complex institutionalized power and oppression relations in the foster care system. When youth emancipate out of the foster care system, they often do not experience the freedom or agency that the notion of emancipation implies. Such power and oppression relations can be further manifested in research processes and practice. This paper discusses how research related to youth with experience in foster care can be conducted in an emancipatory manner with researchers actively supporting the liberation of youth with experience in foster care through their scholarly contributions. The author uses personal positionality to reflect on past experiences transitioning out of foster care and participating in research design to inform the development of a reflexive guide to support the engagement of researchers in emancipatory research practices. The reflexive guide is comprised of a series of eight questions for researchers to consider when conducting research related to youth with experience in foster care.