Emancipated Youth In Foster Care

Words: 1347
Pages: 6

A Project Overview When foster children reach the legal age of emancipation should the state continue to provide for them? A youth in foster care, reaching the age of majority, typically set by states at age of eighteen, means losing everything. The youth no longer has housing, healthcare, financial assistance, or a social worker to call in emergencies. Having previously lost support from their natural family, they are once again alone. Throughout my program, I will recruit children in foster care that are nearing the age which they exit the system and also those that are currently in care. Many of these young adults are forced into independence, with little to no resources helping them to assume adult responsibilities. The purpose of my …show more content…
Transitioning from high school to college is difficult enough even for the average youth. For emancipated youth of foster care, college or vocational training will give them a sense of belonging, self-worth, and job security. Michele Benedetto (2008) believed, “A state's responsibility to prepare a youth for adulthood should include offering access to training or educational opportunities as necessary to succeed as an independent adult” (p.387). Dan Lips (2007), an educational analyst, pointed out that “foster children face many challenges in life. One major obstacle is the difficult transition out of state care into adulthood, education is a key factor in determining whether a foster child successfully makes this transition” (p.1) In other words, higher education leads to greater career opportunities thus creating more stability for youth and ultimately, greater self-sufficiency. Michele Benedetto (2008) noted, “To become self-sufficient adults, former foster youth must have access to higher educational or vocational programs. To succeed in such programs, most foster youth require some sort of financial support after they reach the legal age of majority” (p.385). Success in school can be a positive counterweight to the abuse, neglect, separation, and …show more content…
Madelyn Freudlich and Avery Rosemary (2006) writes, “research indicates that foster youth living in out-of-home placements, particularly those aging out of foster care, often need highly intensive and specialized services to prepare them for independent living” ( p.508). In an agreement, the Lake Snell Perry & Associates Inc. (2003) provided public opinions about youth transitioning from foster care to adulthood. They took a survey on the public thoughts about the foster care system on youth “aging out”. However, they reported that 4% of the people thought the importance of providing traditional help for young people leaving care was not too important and 2% argued it is not important at all (p.4). Sometimes people cannot always do things for themselves, which is why support is needed. Without support they would