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.
