May - Foster Care Awareness Month

Lilli O' Neeus

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In preparing for this post, I have looked at a lot of statistics about foster children and former foster children.
The statistics that hit me the hardest are these:
1. The average age of a foster youth is 8 and a half years old.
2. A foster youth typically spends just under two years – 20 months – in foster care.
3. Over 25,600 foster youth spend more than five years in foster care.
4. 6 percent of all children in the U.S. will find themselves in the foster care system before they turn 18.²
5. Foster youth are seven times more likely than non-foster youth to have Depression, and five times more likely to have Anxiety.
6. One out of every five people who age out of the foster care system lack a home when they turn 18
7. By the time foster youth are 24, only half of them will have stable and steady employment. The same percentage develop substance abuse.
8. Among former foster youth, one-third of all males and three-fourths of all females rely on government assistance programs.
9. In comparison to veterans, former foster youth are twice as likely to suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
10. One out of every two foster youth has dealt with four or more Adverse Childhood Experiences.
11. Eight out of every 10 foster youth enter the system with notable mental health needs.
12. Just over half – 51 percent – of all foster youth graduate high school.
13. Just one out of every five foster youth is at grade level in English and language arts in third grade, and only 9 percent are at grade level in math in eighth grade.
14. Less than one in four foster youth enroll in college.
15. By age 26, just 4 percent of former foster youth had successfully obtained a bachelor’s degree.7
16. Around 184,000 households in the U.S. have a foster youth in them.
17. Compared to their peers, male former foster youth are four times as likely to commit a crime. Females are 10 times more likely.
Source

This is a lot to think about.
A great place to start: CASA
The best phrase to find organizations in your area: Foster Youth Programs: Google will return programs and agencies specific to your area.
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Love this post. My wife and I have been foster parents for about 6 years now. We currently foster a 17 year old girl who is the mother of a 2 year old. We are big advocates of foster care. I would HIGHLY encourage anyone who has been thinking about this to give it a shot. These kids REALLY need a safe home where someone can show them they are valued, loved, and WORTH it!
 

Trystyne Telyan

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There are many concerns. I believe a large one includes the need for support for young adults. Not just financial support but needed services for mental health, trauma, education, job skills & vocational training. So many have dire mental health needs that until those are met it’s difficult to move to education or vocational training.
 

Calen Velervron

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Thank you Lili- I want to point out that our site has done some work with foster kids already. I work in the system and we have had journals donated, lots of supplies for school, lots of toys and backpacks.. all from this site.
 

Alexr al'Petros

The Bridge
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