Every year, high schools all over the country host graduation ceremonies which officially mark the end of adolescence and the beginning of young adulthood. Teens who have plenty of life skills often feel ready to move out of the home and begin the next chapter. But this is not always true for foster youth.

The years of traumatic experiences put foster youth in a vulnerable position when they age out of the system at age 18.  This blog post explores several approaches that the federal government, states, and other organizations have deployed to address this critical issue.

Preparing for Adulthood

Although we are deemed adults at the age of 18, few of us are truly prepared for the stressors of adult life. In fact, the brain is not fully mature until the age of 25, affecting emotional and cognitive development. It is common for youth to get overwhelmed with big issues such as finding gainful employment, navigating social circles, and trying to understand themselves, all while trying to find an affordable place to live. It is no wonder that so many people of this age group continue to live with their families well past the age of 18.

Youth exiting foster care face all these pressures and more. They may not have acquired adequate coping skills to deal with all that life will throw at them. They are likely to be dealing with trauma from navigating through the system, and it is important to recognize the coping skills they have learned to reduce negative or unwanted feelings. And as is the case with so many of the systems that feed into homelessness, there are stark racial inequities in play: Black youth are more likely to be placed in the foster care system and are more likely to experience homelessness.

Youth aging out of the foster care system need guidance and help to navigate the adult world. The monthly cost of living in the United States is $2,213, which is 2.26 times more expensive than the world average. The average salary after taxes in the United States is $4,223, which is enough to cover living expenses for 1.9 months. People are struggling to live in America, so how can we expect youth to pick themselves up by their bootstraps when the boots are worn down and the straps are broken?

Read the full article about foster youth from homelessness by Malik Rivers at National Alliance to End Homelessness.