Who Are Transition-Age Foster Youth?
Who Are Transition-Age Foster Youth?
Comic strip courtesy of Mark Stivers
"Aging Out" of Foster Care
Most young adults in the general population rely upon their families for assistance with a place to live, financial support and other guidance as they transition to adulthood. According to Children's Rights, half of young adults ages 18-24 in the general population in the United States live with their parents.
Meanwhile, 20,000 of the 542,000 children in foster care nationwide - and 1,300 of the 27,000 foster care youth in Ohio - "age out" of foster care every year and enter the adult world.
Young people in foster care have already survived harsh circumstances, such as neglect, abuse and/or abandonment. Their "parent" is a system. And, too often, this system fails to equip them with the knowledge, skills, experience, attitudes, habits, and relationships that will enable them to be productive and connected members of society.
Background
Transition age foster youth are usually youth between the ages of 16 - 24 that are, or previously were, in the state child welfare system. They were removed from the custody of their birth parents due to abuse, neglect, or for some other reason, such as the death of a parent or severe child behavioral problems. Transition age youth are typically placed in:
- Family Foster Care Homes
- Treatment Foster Care Homes (to receive behavioral health services)
- Kinship Care Homes (with a relative or family friend)
- Residential Treatment Centers (to receive intensive behavioral health services and 24/7 supervision)
- Group Home (supervised apartment/house setting)
- Independent Living Placement (semi-supervised apartment)
Outcomes
Transition age foster youth and those who have aged out of foster care at age 18 are vulnerable to negative outcomes and often ultimately return to the care of the state as adults, either through the public welfare, mental health, criminal justice, or other support systems. Studies show that outcomes for these youth are far worse than outcomes for youth in the general population, in which many youth can rely on assistance from their families for financial and emotional supports.
A recent study (i) of the more than 24,000 youth nation-wide who leave foster care each year without permanent families reveals these poor outcomes:
- 25% are incarcerated within the first two years
- 20% becomes homeless at some time after the age of 18
- Only 58% complete high school (compared to 87% in the general population)
- Only 3% earn college degrees (compared to 28% in the general population)
It is important to compare these outcomes of to transition-age youth who were never in the foster care system. A recent study of young adults aged 18-34 who were never in foster care reveals that 34% receive financial assistance from their parents and 47% receive time help in a given year. The young adults who receive help collect an average of $3,410 in cash and 367 hours in time help annually(ii). Moreover, the Congressional Research Service reports that parents give their youth (in the general population) an estimated total of $38,000 between the ages of 18-34 to supplement wages, pay for college tuition, and help with housing costs, among other types of financial assistance. Parents also often allow their adult children to live with them and provide them with non‐material assistance, such as help with obtaining a driver’s license, applying to college, and advice on finances and establishing a new household.
Unfortunately, youth from foster care often lack this type of long-term financial and time help and consequently experience poor outcomes during their transition into adulthood. When the youth reach age 18, they are unable to remain in foster care, a time when most young people explore educational and career options. Fortunately, many youth are able to learn transitional living skills before aging out that help to prepare them for the transition into adulthood.
(i)
Pew Commission on Children in Foster Care (2004). Fostering the Future: Safety, permanence and well-being for children in foster care. Washington: Author. Available at: http://pewfostercare.org/research/docs/FinalReport.pdf
(ii)
Settersten, R., et al. “On the Frontier of Adulthood: Theory, Research, and Public Policy.” University of Chicago Press. 2005. P. 402