New Report on Aging Out of the Foster Care System

The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies published a report in December that discusses the plight of young people who age out of the foster care system. Imagine being 18 and resourceful enough to navigate through the foster care system, persistent enough to obtain a education that will enable you to get into college and then find yourself temporarily homeless because you did not have a home to go back to over the holiday break. The report notes that youth who age out of foster care are less likely to have completed high school or earned a GED, and more likely to suffer from mental health problems, be involved in or be victims of crime, and be socially isolated compared to their peers who live within a family. As adults, they also are more likely to be unemployed or homeless, and to be living in poverty. At the core of these problems is the lack of connectedness between these young people and caring adults that can assist them as young adults. Additionally, the lack of coordination among social services agencies, academic institutions and health care providers leave these young people too often at a significant disadvantage as they make take their first steps in adulthood. The Joint Center report highlights the fact that these young people lack trusted, supportive relationships because they have been removed from their extended family setting and too often have experience multiple placements as youth. Much more needs to be done for these young people who too often do not have strong advocate championing their long-term interests. Read the Report: Aging Out of the Foster Care System to Adulthood: Findings, Challenges, and Recommendations

In November 2007, H.R. 4208 The Reconnecting Youth to Prevent Homelessness Act of 2007 was introduced. While this bill does not directly address the significant problems facing young people who age out of the foster care system, it does attempt to help some of the most vulnerable young people in society and provide for extension of child welfare services to emancipated youth between ages 18 and 21. See the Take Action Section of the blog for information on this bill.