What are your thoughts?
I ran across this info with great suggestions.
http://www.charityguide.org/volunteer/fewhours/age-out.htm
thank you in advance for your opinions.
LittleBlueToes
Favorite Answer
I was a foster Mom ( until I adopted the children now I am their MOM)
And I could not imagine raising a child, even if it was not "mine" and never speaking to them again. But as you see it does happen. Just because we turn 18 does not mean we still do not need mom and Dad. I am 32 and still a Daddy's girl!
Sadly there are foster parents who do not care, and often foster for the money. They may not abuse the kids but do not have a real relationship with them either.
The entire system needs to be redone. Unmarried and gays should be able to adopt. My husband and I are not legally married but have an awesome home... I do not see how having a piece of paper would make it any better.
?
Either people don't about it or those who do most think it will be more trouble than it's worth because they assume the older the child is the more issues there be.
I have a friend whose mother left - long complicated story - one sibling was adopted and three in long term foster care although they always had contact. The brother stayed with the same foster carers, her sister was in a care home and she was moved around carers between the ages of 7 and 18, the last four years with the same family.
Anonymous
People are unaware. While it makes sense that over 18+ adults will have trouble after foster care, Ive never really seen any articiales about this. They should do a small news story for tv, and emphasize it.
There's commercials here in Chicago for the current foster kids. They tell us to not "write them off", and shows how you can mentor them. They show young children/teens, never a thing about former foster kids.
Ista
Most aren't aware there's a problem. Here in Arkansas they passed a bill last year, making it were you have to be married in order to foster or adopt in this state. The basic gist of this bill was to stop gays from doing so. I was so incensed by this bill and the ignorance of it, as we have a real problem here. Too many kids, not enough homes.
A friend actually voted FOR it, as he had friends that were trying to adopt and couldn't find a baby, so since babies were so hard to find, there obviously wasn't a problem with finding homes for these kids. It absolutely floored me! The absolute ignorance he displayed with this thought process. Unfortunately, he's not alone.
Heather ~ Not a Perfect Mom ~
I think awareness is the main reason. I don't think people realize when someone ages out of Foster care they are sent out on their own with basically the clothes on their back and whatever money they were able to save/hide.
They are not prepared to live on their own and can't afford to live anywhere so many end up homeless or going back to families that abused or neglected them. It is a crappy vicious circle that can go for generations before someone is able to break the cycle.