Foster Kids Face Uncertain Futures
- August 9, 2010
On average, children in stable homes rely on their parents for support until age 26. But each year in California, more than 5,000 kids who've grown up in foster care are out on their own at 18. Many former foster youth wind up unemployed, homeless, or behind bars. (First of two parts)
The story notes that while on average persons in a stable home situation receive support from their family until age 26, each year California turns out 5,000 foster care persons at age 18. Chantel Johnson '07, who was one of them, tells the reporter that most of her peers ended up on the streets, as they had no life skills to guide them. And, whereas the foster youth share the same dreams as other youth, currently, only two percent will ever finish college.
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