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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to broaden the narrative of disconnected youth, beyond a deficit perspective, by recognizing their developmental capital. Youth in foster care have unique experiences within schools and other social spaces of society. These youth are typically distant from the social norms of society as a result of influences such as unique family dynamics. Using a social constructivist conceptual framework, insight related to the strengths, competencies, values, resources, and supports of youth in foster care are revealed. This study examined the stories of young adults with foster care experience and provided multiple examples of the various ways youth who have experienced foster care demonstrate core attributes of their developmental capital. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were utilized for data collection. By using an anti-deficit approach within the narrative inquiry, the nature of which disconnected youth are empowered is explored, and a positive orientation is added to the body of knowledge related to their way of being.