This article reports on a study of obstacles to employment among mothers with children in foster care. The study relies on standardized measures, has a cross-sectional design, and includes a sample of 158 mothers. The analysis shows a high prevalence of obstacles; identifies three co-occurring obstacles, each involving substance abuse, that are related to a low probability of employment (p [less than or equal] 0.05); and reveals that employment and access to transportation are related to higher income relative to mothers' needs (p [less than or equal] 0.05). (Contains 6 tables.)