Since young people aging out of foster care lack the “roots” relied upon by young people from intact families, they will need to work to create and recreate support systems of their own.
I created this diagram of examples for teens in the foster care system to consider while preparing to age out of care.
According to Children’s Rights, half of the young adults between the ages of 18 - 24 in the general population live at home with their parents. Most people within this age group rely upon their families for assistance with a place to live, financial support and other guidance as they transition to adulthood.
Meanwhile, 20,000 foster children "age out” of foster care each year, and enter the adult world.
We can make it. We can survive.
But because we often lack the "roots" relied upon by our peers, we will need to build the skills to create and recreate a circle of suport for ourselves.
This is the first step... stayed tuned.
6 comments:
this is great, Lisa. I so agree. Are you on MySpace at all? I am, would love to add you as one of my friends. There is such an 'audience' there of teens and children in the system, foster parents,caseworkers and etc. My address on there is www.white and nerdy 1976.myspace.com
Love, Stacey
Lisa, you know, it's funny, because whenever you do something on teens aging out of foster care, I can relate so much. And I was not a foster child!!! My turning 18 experience was so much similar in so many ways.
Foster kids can make it on their own. Most people don't know they can make it on their own, because older adults teach them that they can't. Sometimes, those of us who grew up in regular families had parents from that generation that thinks you have to have everything big and fancy to be "okay". I think that's why so many young people still depend on their families for support. It's ironic. I don't really know that a lot of former foster kids had that kind of pressure. Which makes it that much more possible to make it on their own.
Danielle
woops that is myspace.com/white andnerdy1976.....
see, I really am nerdy! lol/
Hey Stacey Hoff,
I am guessing that you are a Wierd Al fan.
Lisa
We had a circle of support meeting today for our 17 year old who turns 18 in 4 months. She had 14 people there and it was heartwarming. There was also a young woman who is a foster care alum who now has a paid position, mandated by the State of TX, at CPS to work with kids aging out. She was great!
You and young women like the one I mentioned, give me hope for my girls' futures.
Lionmom,
I wonder if the Texas alum you met was my friend Gabby? (Gabrielle Marie Valladares)
Lisa
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