Aging Out of Foster Care: Linking funding, organizations and youth

Abstract

Twenty thousand youth age out of foster care each year in the United States . i During their stay in foster care, t hese children are provided with supportive services through foster families, residential living facilities and coverage of ba sic needs through monetary support allocated by Federal funding. W hen youth age out of foster care at age 18 they are then expected to support themselves. At this time, youth must make a transition to indepe ndent living . Without foster care services, they face obstacles in their transition to employment, furt her education, and independent living. ii Obstacles may include “ limited education al attainment, homelessness, unemployment, mental health challenges , poverty, dependence on public assistance, and a lack of positive role models. ” iii Although post - foster care services are available to youth to help transition them to independent living some “youth who transition out of foster care fall through the cracks. ” iv It is imperative to increase access to services for youth in an effort to prevent some of the challenges that youth who aged out may face post foster care .