For most kids, this month brings back-to-school shopping, new classes and the excitement of a fresh school year. But for thousands of young people aging out of foster care, it can bring a very different reality: burgeoning adulthood without the support of a family. More than 20,000 foster youth age out of the U.S. foster care system every year.
The transition to adulthood can be overwhelming for even those adolescents who have been supported by a family. However, for those who enter adulthood without the support of a loving biological family or foster family, these stressors multiply. Those who age out of foster care face significantly higher risks of homelessness, unemployment, substance abuse, instability, unplanned pregnancy and poor physical and mental health outcomes.
After turning 18, an estimated 20% experience homelessness, fewer than 3% earn a college degree, and as many as seven in 10 young women who age out of foster care become pregnant before age 21. These numbers are sobering. But they do not have to determine the future of every young person who ages out of foster care. There is one factor that can make a profound difference: a caring adult who chooses to stay.
Mentorship may sound simple, but for a young person who has experienced the instability, loss and rejection of foster care, having someone consistently show up can alter the trajectory of their life. These youth need more than another program or another resource; they need someone who knows their name, believes in their potential and is willing to walk with them into young adulthood.
As president and executive director of Lifeline Children’s Services, I have witnessed the difference that a committed adult can make in the life of a child aging out of foster care. Through Lifeline’s Heritage Builders program, we equip local