A few days ago I was privileged to be in court while an 18-year-old young woman was officially emancipated from foster care. She had college plans in place, a stable living situation, and supportive adults who would help with the transition to independence.
That's the way it's supposed to work. But too often, it doesn't.
I've diaried before about the appalling statistics for kids who age out of foster care. They're disproportionately likely to become homeless, use drugs, go to jail, or repeat the cycle of abuse and neglect with their own children. California is one of the worst offenders in all of these. We've gotten better about seeking adoption or legal guardianship for younger kids, but older kids too often get stuck in the system, getting pushed from one home to the next.
When the state takes the drastic step of removing children from their families, it effectively becomes the parent. A responsible parent does not simply kick out an 18-year-old youth and say "You're on your own." Few young people have the skills or resources to navigate the maze of housing, employment and education without help, especially in the current economy.
On Sept 30th, Governor Schwarzenegger signed a new law giving the option of extending foster care or legal guardianship to age 21, easing the transition into adult responsibilities. Foster parents and relative caregivers can continue to receive crucial financial and medical assistance during that time.
Schwarzenegger signed several other bills related to foster care as well, including ones to encourage keeping siblings together, and to make it easier for a child to stay in the same school when placed in foster care. Kids in foster care lose many important connections, so it's vital that we strengthen the ones that remain. The bond with a sibling, a friend or a teacher can make all the difference in the world to a child who suddenly has to deal with a new home and caregivers who aren't Mom and Dad. Even when siblings can't live together (for instance, when one has specialized needs), a good social worker will go the extra mile to keep them in regular contact.
There's still a lot of work to be done. It's hard for a young person to take that big step out on their own under any circumstances (as my own Kali is discovering). But it's not that often I get to give good news to foster kids, so today I'm gong to enjoy it.