Your voice matters!
NYTD is a national survey primarily focused on the services and lived experiences of youth currently and formerly in foster care. NYTD is unique, because the goal is to obtain information directly from young people who age out of foster care, the services they received and their experiences after leaving care. The purpose is to improve the foster care system by listening to the voices of the young adults who felt the impact of the services they received firsthand.  The information is used to guide decisions about how best to serve youth who age out of the child welfare system.

How does it work?
States are required to collect information from young people at ages 17, 19, and 21 about how they are doing with finances, housing, health, education, and more.

If you are part of the NYTD cohort that needs to complete the survey, you will be contacted by the NJ Department of Children and Families (NJDCF). You can complete the survey online or over the phone. Either way, the NYTD survey just takes about 5-10 minutes to complete.

Can I participate?
You have to be selected in order to be eligible to participate. This is done randomly. If you were selected to complete a survey at age 17, you will also be asked to complete follow-up surveys when you turn 19 and 21.

I think I was selected to participate; how do I find out for sure?
If you think you may have been contacted by NJDCF to complete a survey, you can contact NJDCF’s Office of Adolescent Services (OAS) (609) 888-7100 or email dcf_adolescentservice@dcf.nj.gov for additional information.

I was selected, but why should I participate?
New Jersey youth, and youth across the country, are being asked to participate in the survey. You can make an impact by providing lawmakers with information that will help young people in foster care achieve their goals for the future, tailor services so that they make sense for young people, and provide support for the necessary services. The NYTD survey matters because if your state does not comply, they will lose Chafee funds that pay for housing, education, and independent living programs.

By participating in the NYTD survey, not only are you making an impact on current and existing policies but also on the lives of the youth in care after you. This will ultimately benefit the way that resources and services provided to the youth are managed - in a way that is solely centered and focused on helping them attain all their future goals and dreams.

Will my answers be kept confidential?
Yes! All surveys are kept in secure databases. If you complete a survey, your answers will be provided to the NJDCF which, in turn, will submit them to the federal government’s NYTD reporting system. Your answers will be combined with those from thousands of young people across the country. At that point, your personal information will not be associated with individual answers to any question.