Episode #21 (#5 in the series)
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vulnerabilities in foster care
Summary:
In this episode of Kids at Risk Action, hosts Ashley and Alex discuss a heartbreaking case in which a 7-week-old infant suffered 13 fractures while in foster care, allegedly inflicted by the foster mother. This case highlights the systemic issues within the foster care system, including inadequate resources, lack of oversight, and insufficient training and support for foster parents
Episode #20 (#4 in the series)
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Kids at Risk Action: In Custody, In Crisis
Summary:
In this powerful episode of Kids at Risk Action, Mike Tikkanen, Emma, and Michael dive into the “ground truth” of the foster care system — exposing the often unseen hardships children face even after being placed in protective care. Through heartbreaking stories like Alex’s and alarming statistics on abuse and neglect within the system, they reveal how systemic failures, placement shortages, outdated policies, and societal biases continue to harm vulnerable youth. They highlight the urgent need for trauma-informed support, policy reform, and public accountability, while also honoring the resilience of survivors and the efforts of dedicated foster families and workers. The hosts call on listeners to raise awareness, advocate for change, and stand up for the invisible children too often left behind.
Episode #19 (#3 in the series)
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Kids at Risk Action:
The Problems and Solutions
Summary:
In this episode of Kids at Risk Action, Mike, Emma, and Michael uncover the harsh realities facing foster youth aging out of the system and the failures of Extended Foster Care (EFC) programs intended to support them. They reveal how systemic barriers — from unrealistic eligibility requirements to a lack of data tracking and overburdened caseworkers — leave many young adults homeless, unprepared, and isolated. Through survivor stories, expert insights, and practical solutions, the hosts emphasize the urgent need to shift the system from one based on compliance to one focused on resilience, healing, and true independence. Listeners are called to use their voices to advocate for reforms that truly prepare foster youth for adulthood.
Episode #18 (#2 in the series)
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Kids at Risk Action:
LGBTQ Foster Care,
Suicide, & Ground Truths
Summary:
In this emotional episode of Kids at Risk Action, Mike, Emma, and Michael confront the harsh realities faced by LGBTQ+ youth in the foster care system — a population far too often isolated, unsupported, and at devastating risk of homelessness, suicide, and trauma. They share staggering statistics, heartbreaking stories, and expose how systemic failures, family rejection, and discriminatory policies compound the suffering of these vulnerable children. The hosts call for urgent reforms, including LGBTQ+ competency training, school protections, accessible mental health care, and policies that affirm rather than punish identity. Above all, they challenge listeners to listen, speak up, and fight for a foster care system that truly protects and uplifts every child.
Episode #17 (#1 in the series)
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Kids at Risk Action:
Struggles for Foster Care
Children In Education
Summary:
In this episode of Kids at Risk Action, Mike, Emma, and Michael reveal how foster youth are systematically failed within America’s education system. They expose how constant school changes, untreated trauma, and misdiagnoses isolate these children, often pushing them into special education, overmedication, or even the juvenile justice system. The discussion highlights the lack of trauma-informed care, the legal barriers that prevent foster parents from advocating, and the devastating long-term impacts on foster youth as they age out of the system. The hosts call for coordinated action between schools and child welfare, better funding for mental health resources, and policies that prioritize healing and academic stability over isolation and punishment.
