Foster Care to Success has been doing so since 1981. There are practical and effective ways to meet the needs of college-bound foster youth and change their outcomes for the better. With support from Foster Care to Success, their success rate rises dramatically: 65 percent of our scholars graduate within five years, a percentage higher than that of the overall U.S. If given the same opportunities and supports as other young people, they can achieve great success.Īccording to the most recent research, less than 10 percent of foster youth graduate from college. Many foster youth are very resilient by surviving day-to-day and placement-to-placement they become strong, self-reliant and determined. “Aging Out” of the Foster Care SystemĪlthough the federal Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 gave states the option of raising the emancipation age (that is, the age that foster youth must leave or “age out” of the foster system) from 18 to 21, currently only a small number of states have approved plans in place.ĭespite emerging supports, states are struggling to meet the needs of older foster youth, and many teens, not seeing any advantage to staying in care, voluntarily “age out” at 18 or after high school graduation even though very few of them are capable of establishing a successful independent life without family or community support. Recent findings from the science of brain development show that such prolonged stress biologically alters the structure of the growing brain, affecting physical and emotional well-being.įurthermore, the typical path of a foster child – from placement to placement, school to school – denies them a stable emotional, social and educational foundation. Lack of bonding as an infant or child can cause emotional and psychological trauma that is very difficult to overcome. Many foster youth experience intense and sustained stress growing up. How the Foster Care System Impacts Young PeopleĬhildren enter foster care because their families are experiencing difficulties so severe that they cannot take care of them. They may never feel stable or connected, lacking the family and community ties that are so critical to young adults learning to make their own way in the world. Sadly, too many children spend years in “the system,” moving from foster home to group home to foster home, and from one school district to another. foster care system was designed to temporarily protect and nurture children whose parents are unable or unwilling to care for them, until those parents become stronger, healthier and in a position to provide a safe loving home for their children. The Youth Acceptance Project reduces the time LGBTQ+ children and youth spend in foster care, helps families reunite, or even better, prevents separation in the first place.The Beatles’ John Lennon, Apple's Steve Jobs, actress Marilyn Monroe and the Baltimore Ravens' Michael Oher all spent time in foster care. ![]() Bryce’s father came to fully embrace Bryce’s gender identity, including changing his name legally, and getting gender-affirming medical support.įamily Builders meets families where they are and helps them through their journey. With the Family Advocate’s encouragement, seeing a family therapist with his dad helped Bryce stop his self-harming behavior, and his grades got better in school. It was Bryce’s father who first welcomed the Youth Acceptance Project: when Bryce and his sibling moved to live full time with their father, their dad became a strong supporter for Bryce, advocating for him at school and within their family. The Family Builders Youth Acceptance Project social worker, called a Family Advocate, supported Bryce’s parents through their journey of acceptance of their child’s identity. Bryce was also struggling: with self harming behavior, with academics, and with relationships at school. His parents had recently separated and both struggled with accepting their transgender child. ![]() Bryce came out as transgender at the age of 14. ![]() ![]() Youth Acceptance Project Success Story for an LGBTQ child and their familyīryce’s sex assigned at birth was female, but he always knew he really was a boy.
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