Go to school. Go to college. Make something of your life

Youth in foster care have historically had challenges in the area of education attainment. Many youth in foster care have gone on to become social workers based on their personal experiences in the child welfare system; however, this is anecdotal information and has not yet been formally studied in the current scholarly literature. This qualitative study surveyed those adults who left the foster care system and became social workers, having completed their Master’s in Social Work (MSW) or a Doctorate in the Social Work field or equivalent. The goals of the current project were to: give voice to these former youth in foster care in what their lived experience has been to achieve their educational goals, why the individual chose the social work profession, what supports and services were available for them to achieve their social work career and educational goals, and their recommendations for policy, practice, and research. This manuscript focuses on their educational experiences. Fourteen in-depth structured interviews were conducted. Findings highlight the power of encouragement and expectations to attend college from key relationships. This is the first research project that has explored the voices of these individuals and their journey from foster care to an educational institution, and finally to a career in the social work field. Future research should explore the experiences of former youth in foster care who chose other career paths.