When a foster child reaches the age of 18, or graduates high school, he may then age out of care programs. Many find they are unable to take care of themselves after leaving the sheltered foster care environment. Health, education and housing needs may be unmet. According to the CWLA web site, this group is at risk for for many negatives:
Problems Facing Youth After Foster Care:
- Lack of education
- Homelessness
- Difficulty accessing health care
- Substance abuse
- Early parenting
- Life on public assistance
- Incarceration
Many youth coming out of foster care are less experienced and educated, leading to few job opportunities and lower wages. With few skills, life experience, direction and goals, the future can be grim. Life on the streets to make money and the risk of being exploited face those with no permanent family base.
According to National Foster Care Data statistics compiled by Casey Family Programs, alumni who had aged out of foster care had been homeless for at least one day (25%), were less likely to have completed high school, and were less likely to go to college than the general population (71% vs 86%)
Health care is another issue. Uninsured, often unemployed and without a stable living environment, health issues are ignored. This is a double-edged sword as kids entering foster care often come from traumatic backgrounds and physical and psychological issues can be largely at play. Studies also show about 50% of children in foster care have a chronic illness such as asthma, auditory or visual problems, dental carries or malnutrition. [Health Services for Children in Foster Care, Institute for Research on Women and Families. Dec 1998, 2nd printing].
Emancipated adults are at a higher risk for substance abuse due to personal histories of abuse or tragedy, lack of access to health care, peer pressure, and general lack of direction.
Early parenthood is another concern. In a 1990 survey, 40% of women reported having been pregnant at least one time in the 18-24 months since leaving foster care, ["On Their Own: The experience of youth after foster care," Child and Adolescent Social Work, Oct, 1990, 7, 426].
Crime also factors in. In his study of emancipated youth, Mark Courtney found that twenty-five percent were incarcerated within a two year period of leaving a foster care environment ["Foster Youth Transitions to Adulthood: Outcomes 12 to 18 Months after Leaving Out-of-Home Care", University of Wisconsin, (Chapin Hall Center for Children at the University of Chicago), 2004].
More and more, help is becoming available for those seeking to become more than just another statistic:
Help for Emancipated Foster Youth
John H. Chafee Foster Care Independence Program (CFCIP) offers assistance to help current and former foster care youths achieve self-sufficiency. Activities and programs include, but are not limited to, help with education, employment, financial management, housing, emotional support and assured connections to caring adults for older youth in foster care as well as youth 18-21 who have aged out of the foster care system
The Educational and Training Vouchers Program (ETV) for Youths Aging out of Foster Care was added to the CFCIP in 2002. ETV provides resources specifically to meet the education and training needs of youth aging out of foster care.
Workforce Investment Act (WIA), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and Medicaid-federal programs which can benefit youth in transition due to being qualified for assistance (unemployment, low-income, homelessness and single parenthood).
Public awareness, and federal and state support is crucial to helping these young adults transition into independent living in way that supports their dreams and strengthens the fabric of society. This overlooked population holds much potential if given the right tools. It can make all the difference between another tragedy and a story of success.
Janelle Ray - Janelle holds a B.S. in Nutrition and an M.S. in Physiology. After working as an exercise physiologist and personal trainer, she chose to ...
