Ageing out of foster care entails transitioning from being provided by a guardian to catering for their needs. The process often occurs when individuals reach the age of 18 or 21. Due to this age, the youths are no longer eligible for foster care services and must rely on their resources and assistance. While ageing out of foster care might be widespread, the process does not consider the vulnerability of involved youths since some can be orphans or from poor backgrounds (Glynn, 2021). As a result, this transition can result in mental illness, lack of confidence or even substance abuse. These people struggle to find and keep jobs during the transition and experience hardships navigating a convoluted government service system.
A significant problem impacting thousands of young adults is ageing out of foster care. Around 20,000 children in the US leave foster care each year, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services (Armstrong-Heimsoth, 2021). These young adults have a significant risk of experiencing homelessness, poverty, and other undesirable consequences due to the lack of support and resources accessible to them. Additionally, Glynn’s study (2021) revealed that just 50% of young adults leaving foster care find employment or enrol in postsecondary education within a year after leaving care. The finding suggests that many young individuals lack the necessary adult readiness skills. The study’s primary goal is to describe young adults’ struggles during this transition period and some of the interventions and services implemented to address the ageing out of foster care.
To guarantee these young adults’ success, ageing out of foster care requires attention and resources. In Noel Anaya’s narrative, he discusses his lifelong struggles with finding answers to why he could not be adopted to share the experiences of a typical family. He also discusses how separation from his siblings affected him, resulting in stress and depression (NPR, 2017). Based on Noel’s story, it is evident that many young adults raised in foster care experience trauma following the ageing out and exemption of the support that they used to receive.
Literature Review of Aging Out of Foster Care
A long-standing issue impacting many young people’s lives is the ageing out of foster care. The problem of adolescents leaving foster care extends back to the early 1990s when the federal and state governments started to realize the difficulties faced by young people who had left the system (Armstrong-Heimsoth, 2021). According to Armstrong-Heimsoth (2021), individuals who emanate from foster care due to ageing are more likely to be unemployed and poor than those living with their families. Armstrong-Heimsoth’s (2021) research also revealed that these young people had a higher propensity to battle substance addiction and mental health problems. The Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997, which offered assistance to young people ageing out of foster care, was passed in reaction to these findings (Armstrong-Heimsoth, 2021). Additionally, it expanded funds for states to support foster youngsters and contained provisions for independent living and extended foster care programs.
People who thrive in foster cares show some differences when compared with those that have lived outside these residencies. Armstrong-Heimsoth’s (2021) study indicated that young people who leave foster care before adulthood perform worse academically and professionally than their peers who are not in foster care. Poor performance can be failure in exams, poor time management while in school, and numerous incomplete tasks at work. Addressing the issue of foster youth ageing out has received more attention in recent years (Armstrong-Heimsoth, 2021). Many projects and programs have been developed to prepare children for adulthood better. Extended foster care, independent living programs, mentoring initiatives, and access to resources for school and work are a few of these. Unfortunately, challenges associated with foster care continue to persist despite actions to resolve them.
Various initiatives have been established to help people who leave foster care. Firstly, the government has established financial assistance policies and organizations such as the Children’s Bureau, which funds states and tribes to enable those individuals living and in and the one that have left to live a comfortable life. Secondly, the government has introduced the housing voucher program, offering grants to individuals to pay for a place to reside (Ball & Belseth, 2021). In addition to these critical initiatives, the government plans to offer medical assistance by giving insurance coverages and rehabilitation to youths who have indulged themselves in substance abuse.
LGBTQ+ children, people of all racial and cultural backgrounds, and those with developmental disabilities are among the other groups at risk of ageing out of foster care. Due to additional vulnerabilities that the groups have, such as access to resources and services, difficulty in communicating in other languages, and cultural shame, the level of susceptibility increases (Geiger & Schelbe, 2021). The risks of leaving foster care can significantly influence a person’s life, making the transition to adulthood even more challenging. Therefore, young people in foster care must get the assistance and resources they need to move into adulthood successfully.
Interventions and Services on Aging out of Foster Care
Depending on the region, different local initiatives and services address the issue of foster youth leaving care. However, they frequently involve mentoring programs and other support services, including job training, housing aid, and health care access. For instance, the International Foster Care Alliance in Chicago offers adolescents ageing out of foster care mentoring and support programs. The program provides resources for job placement, training, educational and career assistance, various recreational activities, and other support programs (Gunawardena & Stich, 2021). The Runaway and Homeless Youth Act of 1974 offers federal funds for initiatives that cater to the needs of children who have aged out of foster care (Armstrong-Heimsoth, 2021). The Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 gives states financial incentives to retain children in foster care until they are 21 and funds mentoring and support programs for individuals who leave foster care. Along with funding for emergency shelters, transitional housing, and other support services, the program also covers educational and job training programs.
To give foster adolescents who are leaving the foster care system more support and resources, California passed AB 12 Extended Foster Care (AB 12) in 2010. The program enables young people in foster care between 18 and 21 to stay there while still receiving assistance and services from the state’s child protection system (Armstrong-Heimsoth, 2021). The help covers job training, mental health counselling, housing support, educational, and financial aid. The program’s objective is to support foster adolescents in successfully adjusting to adulthood. Additionally, it gives them more time to receive support and direction as they develop their independence.
Ageing out of Foster Care Summary
Leaving foster care for young people has been linked with the development of depression and loneliness. The most recent data show that in 2018, 23,000 young people left foster care, with more than 70% of them doing so without a long-term relationship with a kind adult (Armstrong-Heimsoth, 2021). According to Armstrong-Heimsoth (2021), these young individuals are more likely to experience various difficulties, such as homelessness, unemployment, and mental health problems. Many of these young adults are resilient and committed to succeeding despite the difficulties (Havlicek, 2021). To guarantee that these young adults have the tools they need to succeed, additional work must be done. Several projects have been created to deal with the issue of foster children leaving care as they age.
These programs give foster adolescents the tools and assistance they need to transition from childhood to adulthood. This assistance includes access to education, employment training, housing and financial aid, mentoring, and other things (Richmond, 2021). Additionally, there is a rising emphasis on ensuring these young adults have links to dependable adults and ongoing assistance. There is still much work to be done in the future. More money must be put into creating and supporting programs offering these young individuals long-term support. Access to financial aid, job training, mentoring, and other services are all included in this.
In conclusion, more attention has to be paid to creating and implementing programs that assist these young adults in connecting with helpful adults. The attention guarantees these young adults the assistance they require to transition successfully to adulthood. Many young adults worldwide struggle with ageing out of foster care. More outstanding funds must be allocated to creating and supporting programs that offer these young individuals long-term support to address the situation. Furthermore, there needs to be a stronger emphasis on developing and implementing initiatives that assist these young adults in connecting with helpful adults. Generally, it will make it possible to guarantee that these young adults have the assistance they require to make the transition to adulthood successfully.
References
Armstrong-Heimsoth, A., Hahn-Floyd, M., Williamson, H. J., Kurka, J. M., Yoo, W., & Rodríguez De Jesús, S. A. (2021). Former foster system youth: Perspectives on transitional supports and programs. The Journal of Behavioral Health Services & Research, 48(2), 287-305. Web.
Ball, B., Sevillano, L., Faulkner, M., & Belseth, T. (2021). Agency, genuine support, and emotional connection: Experiences that promote relational permanency in foster care. Children and Youth Services Review, 121, 105852. Web.
Geiger, J. M., & Schelbe, L. (2021). Special Populations in Child Welfare Practice. In The Handbook on Child Welfare Practice (pp. 271-297). Springer, Cham.
Glynn, N. (2021). Understanding care leavers as youth in society: A theoretical framework for studying the transition out of care. Children and Youth Services Review, 121, 105829. Web.
Gunawardena, N., & Stich, C. (2021). Interventions for young people aging out of the child welfare system: A systematic literature review. Children and Youth Services Review, 127, 106076. Web.
Havlicek, J. (2021). Systematic review of birth parent–foster youth relationships before and after aging out of foster care. Children and Youth Services Review, 120, 105643. Web.
NPR. (2017). After 20 years, young man leaves foster care on his own terms [Video]. NPR.org. Web.
Richmond, A., & Borden, L. M. (2021). Motivational interviewing: An approach to support youth aging out of foster care. Journal of social work, 21(4), 970-985. Web.