What happens to kids at 18 who aren't adopted or fostered?

we age out, become adults and are on our own. some states there are programs until21 others there aren't..

edit- i don't take drugs, there is no way in hell i would be a prostitute or a exotic dancer.. i didn't get adopted because everyone wants baby's! no one usually adopts teens, so the answerer before me can f**k off

Here in my state kids are NOT kicked to the curb. Many are waiting to turn 18----foster, adopted, and bio just so they can do their own thing. Here social services already HAS programs in place to prepare them Before they turn 18---Independence programs, scholarships, grants, And NOW they may select to stay in care until they are 26----this is the new program being formulated---set in the works now. Even those who do not get involved in any of these programs are NOT on the streets in the area around here---I KNOW that to be a Fact!

Generally, they are forced out of the system and pushed out into the world without any money or life skills, many end up homelss and find ways on the streets to make money just to get by. Since they don't have an address they often cant get a job and vice versa. That's why they ask people who adopt to not wait for a baby always but to consider an older child (sometimes older means 3 or 4) but usually after the age of 6 if they aren't adopted the chances becomes super slim

In the bad old days, at age 18 you were pretty much just shown the door and told to get on with it. Here in the UK, support is still very patchy and underfunded, with many kids finding themselves without a safety net. There *are* grants, educational scholarships and other benefits available, but they're not widely publicised and you need to research them yourself or have supportive foster parents to help you. Things are getting better, but only very slowly.

Edit: just read the reply from Crazyness. Speechless.

They are sent out into the world on their own with no parental support. Unfortunately, this happens to a lot of parented children as well.

This varies in every area or state. But they do become their own guardians...however there are programs specifically designed for them to help them get on their feet and learn to provide as an adult for theirself

From what i heard pretty much yea. lots of the girls become prostitutes or exotic dancers to make money or they sell drugs or become homeless or both. I dont know about guys tho. if they dont get adopted there are probably good reasons for it. I would stay FAR away from a foster kid anyway though. You dont hear about successful unadopted foster kids because there arent any.

They mostly get addicted to bad vices like drugs. otherwise they end up killing each other in gang wars