Sixto Cancel, founder of the Think of Us organization, talked about his own lived experience in foster care since he was 11 years old. It was not a pleasant experience as the US foster care system is flawed, and the adoption process is not as good as it could be with placing children into loving homes. The consequences of this can greatly impact the well-being of children. 

Youth in foster care are more likely to experience negative outcomes, like PTSD, homelessness, and incarceration, among other outcomes. However, the prominent consequence of the flawed system is the severe mental health impact it has on the children. Not growing up in a loving, supportive environment can worsen their mental health. This is why Sixto Cancel started his organization, to help the children in the system find a good home. 

His main goal is to transform foster care into kinship care. In other words, he focuses on finding any extended family members or kin that can raise the child. By doing so, this positively impacts the child, especially with their mental health! His work can change the lives of many children and bring the one thing they all want most: a loving family. 

To watch the full Ted Talk, click here! 

Ashley Bejar, UConn KIDS Research Assistant 

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