In this Student Initiated Course, students will examine their preconceived notions of foster care and adoption as they work to become agents for change in the systems. Regular guest speakers will share their experiences. Along with your student instructor you'll explore various outcomes of the systems including trauma, mental health and later-life outcomes. Your faculty instructor will encourage you to critically think about legal and policy issues, both in Maryland and internationally, like the foster to prison pipeline and adopting from other cultures. Students will examine contentious issues like legal interventions, LGBTQ, Native American Indian, transracial, religious and others relating to the systems and the socioeconomic impacts on families. Classes are student-driven and discussion-based, allowing students to explore ethical considerations and possible life paths.