Abstract
This chapter will help the reader to understand the design and outcomes of the foster care system in the USA. The first half explores the historical roots and modern structure of the foster care system, beginning with legal efforts to keep children safe in the early 1600s to the creation of the current form through the enactment of Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) of 1974. It next examines the children placed in foster care, placement options, and the outcomes for these children, with a deeper dive into educational outcomes. The second half describes federal policies related to youth in foster care, beginning with a general overview and then examining their connections to policies and laws related to adoption, college cost, and college-going.