Sidney Carlson

IR I / 10 GT / 3

Ms. Mary Jane Sasser

February 20, 2020

Foster Care: It’s Hard to Replace a Family

Becoming a self-sufficient adult should be an exhilarating and rewarding process; however,

thousands of children in the nation do so against tremendous odds. For most, the transition to

adulthood is heavily supported and gradual, but for approximately 20,000 foster youth each year

that is not the case (“AFCARS Report #26” 1). Foster children who are not adopted by 21, or in

some states 18, are emancipated from foster care and lose access to the financial, educational, and

social supports provided by the child welfare system (Fowler et al. 2). Although foster care may

be an essential and beneficial intervention for many, it can be an insufficient substitute for a

permanent family, as many adults who have transitioned find themselves disadvantaged in multiple

domains of functioning, including educational, psychosocial, and overall health. In short,

transitional age youth face difficulties establishing the necessary foundation needed to

succeed in adulthood due to educational barriers, poor social and emotional wellbeing, and

a lack of resources.

Federal law describes foster care as 24-hour substitute custody for children removed from

their parents or guardians where the state agency has placement and care responsibilities. When

the welfare system questions a child’s safety, child protective services mediate by separating

families and investigating issues in their home. It is no doubt the most intrusive intervention

available. When judging the severity of a situation, child protective services look for forms of

abuse and neglect and make placement decisions based directly off the child’s needs. Options
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include homes of relatives or foster families, group homes, emergency shelters, residential

facilities, childcare institutions, and pre-adoptive homes, among other settings (Johnson 1). In most

cases, the child is placed in out-of-home care with access to medical support. Caseworkers think

long-term, establishing a permanency plan for all foster youth. Reunification with the biological

family or placement into an adoptive family is the main goal, but that is not always possible

(Nguyen). Many children age out of the system without a permanent family and remain completely

independent as they adapt to life. Upon reaching the State mandated age, foster children face

emancipation, and while States provide limited services such as food stamps and housing vouchers,

there is no longer a comforting home or responsible adult. These young adults are now at-risk

transitional age youth.

Children separated from their families have already faced significant adversity which

strains neurological development. Beginning in 1995, the Center for Disease Control and

Prevention and Kaiser Permanente investigated childhood maltreatment’s effect on health and

well-being in the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study, becoming the basis for future

research. ACEs may include abuse, neglect, domestic violence, and the loss of a parent. The study

found a direct correlation between early life stress and disrupted neurodevelopment, social-

emotional and cognitive impairments, the adoption of health-risk behaviors, diseases, disabilities,

and early death (Felitti et al. 256). ACEs alter psychological and psychosocial mechanisms known

to contribute to mental disorders, disrupting cognitive and affective processing. Further, more

exposure to adversity correlates with more health-risk behaviors as an adult in a dose-response

relationship. Healthy brain development is paramount for future success. Genes act as the body’s

personalized manual, but the surrounding environment impacts which sections the body can read

and follow. Negative experiences during sensitive periods of developmental plasticity can have

lasting impacts on the brain and body as a whole. Nevertheless, the brain does not completely
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coalesce until the late twenties, meaning the period of development from childhood into ad ulthood

is much more protracted than many realize. Many psychiatrists believe adolescence, the

transitional age from childhood to adulthood, should be classified as a separate developmental

stage due to its complexity (Chan et al. 2). Subsequently, transitional age youth may have

difficulties focusing on other important tasks such as education.

Education, the prerequisite for many of life’s opportunities, is something that all foster

youth have access to but cannot fully take advantage of. Learning builds perspective and prepares

children for the world. Highly educated individuals understand how to aptly complete tasks and

overcome obstacles. However, foster children often lack an adequate academic background

due to a transient upbringing, insufficient qualifications, and an absence of adult

mentorship. This ultimately limits their options for employment, forcing them into less

aspirational careers.

A strong education is the foundation for future success, but it requires attention and

commitment. An unstable home life causes distraction, leading children to fall behind relative to

their peers. Instability is especially common for foster youth who reside in the system for longer

periods. Chances of relocating will increase if the relationship between the child and resource

parent is strained. A Colorado study observed 3,356 students in foster care and found that they

changed public schools an average of 3.46 times during the four years of high school (Clemens et

al. 196). Researchers studying mobility in various populations have established that “three or more

high school changes are negatively correlated with educational progress, achievement, and

attainment” (Gruman 6). People in unstable environments put energy into recovery rather than

personal growth. They develop a crippled sense of self, essentially becoming their only constant,

which can be very isolating and dangerous to their fragile mental health. Once behind, it takes

extra effort and responsibility to recover, but this is not always achievable. Students who move
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frequently have a lower attendance rate as well as score worse on achievement tests (Lake 24).

There is an obvious correlation between absences and poor educational outcomes, due to staggered

class instruction. Moving schools means missing school and if they do not learn the material in

class, they are unable to do well and have low inclination to participate. Further, it is not the

resource parent’s responsibility to make sure that the child is meeting academic milestones, and

teachers and school staff are often unaware of the student’s foster status or the technicalities of the

foster system (Finkelstein et al. 31). One of the most prominent drawbacks is that many of the

adults in their lives lack a full picture of their educational needs. In a meta-analysis that evaluated

the effects of school mobility on elementary grades, Mehana and Reynolds discovered that

students with school transfers were about four months behind in reading and writing (93). More

ambitious students may miss opportunities for advanced level courses due to prior gaps in

preparation and unfulfilled requirements. Challenged to keep up in class, they are less inclined to

learn new material, let alone catch up on what they have missed. This triggers a domino effect,

proven in both national and multi-state studies that concluded that 17-18-year-olds in foster care

had an average reading level of a seventh grader (Legal Center for Foster Care 2). Continuing this

path, the child will miss core concepts and consistently struggle, ultimately leading to hopelessness

and apathy.

Foster children struggle to graduate from high school and move on to higher education.

Fifty percent of foster youth exit the foster care system with a high school diploma or high school

equivalent, compared to 84.6 percent of the general population. Even worse, only 20 percent attend

college, with fewer than 9 percent attaining a bachelor's degree (Legal Center for Foster Care 2).

Jobs that pay higher than minimum wage, as well as some that don’t, require a high school diploma

and encourage college degrees. In a time where post-secondary education is becoming increasingly

essential for successful employment, foster youth are at a serious disadvantage in the labor market.
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They are not as well prepared as their higher-educated peers and will be unable to obtain jobs that

allow for socioeconomic mobility, perpetuating the cycle of poverty. According to the United

States Department of Education, college graduates with a bachelor's degree earn 66 percent more

than those with only a high school diploma and are far less likely to face unemployment (“Digest

of Education Statistics”). Foster youth are supposed to leave care with all the necessary tools that

they need to survive, but they lack the education requisite for a successful life. They make a plan

with caseworkers; however, many options for life after care are unviable when the child does meet

educational goals. These difficulties can, without a doubt, lead low self-esteem and a lack of

confidence in abilities.

Since issues concerning mental health are not as visible as physical injuries, people often

neglect its importance. Due to circumstances and maltreatment that occurred before and during

placement into care, foster youth have social and emotional difficulties in many aspects of

functioning. Separated from family and friends, confused, and questioning their safety, foster

children must persevere through years in the system. After emancipation, foster youth must carry

themselves further without the guidance of a caseworker or team. Additionally, the child

experiences adversity during times of neurological development that contributes to mental health

issues. Children in foster care are in poorer mental and physical health relative to other children,

including children in all family types and economically disadvantaged families (Turney and

Wildeman 10). This prevalence of mental health issues can impact behavior as an adult,

increase the risk of substance use, and hinder decision making.

The child’s internal struggles that all teenagers face are not considered a priority receive

little focus from resource parents and providers. Behavior problems and social avoidance may

prevent them from joining clubs and participating in extracurricular activities. They may purposely

disengage with others to hide their foster status and family situation in fear of embarrassment and
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perceived stigma. Adolescent placement in foster care was associated with lower self-esteem and

a facade of pseudo independence to protect themselves from further devaluation from others

(Kools 7). This can lead to interpersonal disconnection and affect how foster youth develop various

relationships. Living independently leads to isolation and increased risky behavior. Foster youth

may struggle to survive instead of building a foundation for life.

Behavioral problems are a symptom of underlying mental health issues and are often

inadequately addressed. A study with 303 adolescents and 176 children revealed that youth in

residential care have significantly higher mean levels of externalizing and internalizing problems

and significantly lower levels of adaptive skills (Gabrielli 5). Children act out because of anger,

fear, depression, frustration, anxiety, or to divert attention. They are punished for their behavior

rather than treated for the underlying cause. In turn, behavioral problems often result in removal

from their current resource parent leading to more moves and worse outcomes in education, mental

health, and substance use. The challenges accumulate, adding to the difficulty of transitioning to

adulthood successfully.

Social-emotional competence is the ability to interact with others, regulate one’s emotions,

control behavior, solve problems, and communicate effectively. One study found that a greater

number of school moves was associated with less social competence and early learning skills

(Pears et al. 12). The ability to care for oneself and successfully work with and lead others relies

on social competence. The failure of the foster care system to find safe, lasting placements adds

insult to injury to these youth, thereby contributing to the development of their behavioral

problems and antisocial tendencies.

Independent living negatively impacts transitional age youth by removing protections, such

as supervision and accountability. As a result, foster alumni that live alone or in congregate care
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settings have a much higher likelihood of substance use disorder and use of illicit substances.

Logistic regression analysis indicated that “residing in an independent living situation and having

a diagnosis of Conduct Disorder were associated with a greater likelihood of lifetime substance

use and variety of substances used” (Vaughn et al. 4). Lack of supervision enables young adults to

turn to substances for two reasons: to escape painful experiences in their lives and because they

have the perception that no one will care. Immense anxiety and depression that can manifest as a

result of loneliness and stress can be too much to bear, causing people to turn to substances for

relief. Impermanence in care leads to frequent relationship changes keeping the child from forming

strong bonds. They leave care with insecure attachment and a tendency to isolate themselves from

others due to trust issues. In other cases, they may seek attachment and unintentionally form a

family of their own. The foster care population has a much higher rate of teen pregnancies than

other adolescents. In a study of 215 foster youth, 49 percent of the women became pregnant and

33 percent of males reported getting someone pregnant by age 21 (Combs 7). Early pregnancy can

hinder upward trajectories in success as well as impact the youth’s current situation. Young adults

barely have enough money to pay for their own needs, let alone the needs of another.

An issue that arises with a lack of social connection is the lack of relief from everyday life.

Interpersonal relationships encourage healthy brain activity. They provide intellectual stimulation

and produce hormones that reduce stress and combat depression. Moreover, social ties can “instill

a sense of responsibility and concern for others that then lead individuals to engage in behaviors

that protect the health of others, as well as their health” (Umberson and Montez 3). At-risk youth

with little to no social support do not have enough respect for themselves to resist damaging

behavior. Many in the foster system lose connections to their friends and family. Substance use

and abuse lead to poor choices and hinder foster youth from bettering their life by going to school

or getting a job, and substantially increase the chance that they will engage or be exposed to
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criminal behavior. One-quarter of foster care alumni become involved in the criminal justice

system within two years of leaving care. Further, a study showed that more than 90% of foster kids

with five or more moves will become involved in the juvenile justice system (Krinsky 325).

Incarceration can delay and sabotage a child’s life. It takes away time that should be dedicated to

building savings and working towards a career. Moreover, incarceration prevents youth from going

to college. Worst of all, it adds to the difficulties foster youth have when finding employment.

When youth leave the justice system, they have nowhere to go, and a criminal record adding to

their disadvantage.

Once foster youth are emancipated, they lose access to trauma-informed care. The

unfamiliar stress of securing housing, jobs, transportation, and applying for financial aid can be

overwhelming without mental health assistance. Compared to their peers, foster care alumni are 4

times more likely to have PTSD, 1.5 times more likely to have major depression, 3 times more

likely to have panic disorder, twice as likely to have generalized anxiety disorder, 1.5 times more

likely to have alcohol dependence, 8 times more likely to have drug dependence, and 8 times more

likely to have bulimia (“Mental Health and Foster Care” 1). These mental health statistics correlate

with the findings in the ACE studies which display the higher percentage of mental health and

substance use disorders in adults who have experienced more adverse childhood events.

Undertreated mental health and substance use disorders contribute to the overall poor health

outcomes experienced by people with ACEs. “Despite the frequency of suicidality in the

population, studies have shown that most (60-80%) of transitional aged youth are not in treatment

and are much less likely to access specialty mental health services than their younger adolescent

counterparts” (Chan et al. 103). Like the general population, foster youth apply to Maslow's

hierarchy of needs, a motivational theory comprising of 5 dependent tiers: if they do not have their

basic needs met, like mental health support, then they cannot focus on the future. Foster youth
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specifically are given access to minimal mental health check-ups; however, they are not mandated.

Frequently, foster youth generally want to separate themselves from state systems and refuse help.

Many understand that foster care is traumatic, but they do not associate their experience with

significant trauma. As a result, serious issues are overlooked.

Mental health affects the way a person interacts with others and care for oneself. Without

access to proper care or knowledge of when to accept help, foster youth who live independently

may have pent up emotions, hindering their success in their career and overall happiness. It is

difficult to form economic and social relationships when one does not feel that it is worth the effort.

Mental disorders, along with poor mental states, can convince people that they should isolate

themselves from the world and resort to dysfunctional activities that seem easiest at the time. Foster

youth who are planning to transition out of care without a family should be given a plan that

provides anticipatory guidance, treatment, resources, and the teaching of life skills through a

developmental lens. Overall, foster youth struggle, even those without emotional and behavioral

setbacks, so the system must provide help in as many ways possible starting with mental health.

Adult life presents itself with many challenges to secure financial security, housing, and

overall satisfaction. Life-skills are infrequently taught in schools and are commonly obtained

through adult-mentorship and experience. Without the proper tools, foster youth out of the system

may become homeless, have difficulty maintaining jobs, or become involved in dangerous

circumstances. They abruptly leave their home and do not have financial or emotional support that

others in typical families receive. As said by Maryland’s Foster Care Ombudsman, Loney Nguyen,

the biggest issues facing foster transitions from care across all jurisdiction are a lack of resources

and community services. Foster youth in transition often have unstable housing, suffer from

unemployment, and are at a disadvantage due to absence of family safety nets.

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ADD: only get assistance when 21 plus but some leave before

Quite literally overnight, foster children age out of the system and need to survive as

independent adults. Despite interventions to help them transition, permanent housing is difficult

to achieve. Recent studies have shown that between 20% and 33% of aged out young adults suffer

from homelessness (Fowler et al. 89). Stable housing is a platform that promotes positive outcomes

in all domains. Lack of housing is the main reason that some do not continue their education. Some

foster youth intending to go to college have nowhere to live during breaks. Tuition support is often

available, but they cannot afford the living expenses and are forced to work full time. Additionally,

unstable housing such as couch-surfing is an antecedent to homelessness. Without a direct address,

it is difficult to access healthcare and get employed. Once housing is found, it may be tenuous.

Roommates may be unable to contribute to rent, or rental agreements may be broken, leading to

evictions. Even if foster youth find housing, it is difficult to keep up with costs of living. Many do

not have a stable income and face common obstacles when living independently. Transitioning

youth may live with strangers or other people who take advantage of them. They must put

themselves in harm's way as a means of survival. Young women and men who have recently been

released from foster care and have no place to go are targeted by sex traffickers, and the

criminalization of sex work can funnel these victims into the criminal justice system. Standards

for whom they live with and where are drastically lowered.

For a population that does not receive financial support from family, employment is

required for self-sufficiency. Foster alumni are underemployed, which is concerning as it is the

only source of money that they may receive. Trends over time suggest that rates of employment

for working youth who age out of foster care decline after 19 years of age (The Urban Institute et

al 199). Incomplete education is a predictor of poor financial stability. They simply cannot

compete with more advantaged students. Although many receive vocational training, current
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evaluations suggest that workforce development programs do not produce promising results. In an

Illinois study of 386 19-year olds in foster care, only 43 percent reported having vocational

training. Further, the percentage of young people who reported receiving support to prepare them

for unemployment fell over time (Dworsky 32). They must know how to write a resume, apply for

a job, and maintain a schedule. The support they receive declines as they age which can be

detrimental as foster youth generally have issues sustaining a job. Staying employed may be as

difficult, if not more difficult, than finding a job. In all three waves that the Illinois study

conducted, only 13.5 percent of the 19-year olds were seen to have a consistent job with the rest

still searching. Even if they find employment, their average earnings are very low. At age 24, foster

alumni in California earned an average of $690 each month, $575 in Minnesota, and $450 in North

Carolina, compared to $1,535 for youth nationally. A 26-year old involved with foster care earns

only an average of 13 thousand dollars per year (Fryer, 6). They are earning around half as much

money as other young adults in the nation and have mean earnings on the poverty level. A steady

income is necessary to maintain housing, buy food, and experience life to the fullest. They are so

focused on their next paycheck that they cannot look far in advance, make long-term goals, and

make meaningful progress. This long-term planning is vital and its absence compromises future

stability.

Transitioning youth lack mentorship and long-term relationships with supportive adults.

Proper support makes challenges much easier. Educated adults understand the world and how to

plan efficiently. Moreover, they can provide financial support which lifts pressure off stressed

youth. Ombudsman Nguyen cites that “Although there are milestones and benchmarks that we

want all young people to reach, not reaching them is not enough for a case to remain open legally

after the age of 21.” Once emancipated, they lose a multidisciplinary team of people from different

specialties working with them, including therapists, social workers, family members, school
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representatives, resource parents, etc. Essentially, they lose their support network. A foster child

can have a strong relationship with their resource parents and continue it after care. However,

many foster children lack that strong relationship and will not have assistance. Young people

benefit from family and other adults who have their best interests at heart as well as the knowledge

and resources to help them. Newly independent foster youth are on their own with few resources

to make connections with employers. The child enters the work world blindly and must settle with

a source of income, even if they do not feel passionate about it. What separates foster youth from

the general population is their absence of adult mentorship.

Societal and systematic support is the key to alleviating stress in young adult lives. For a

population with impermanence in all aspects, mentorship and the establishment of more beneficial

policies or organizations is necessary. Foster youth require a push towards a good path and cannot

be expected to stumble their way towards unanticipated success. Transitioning into adult -life is

hard enough as it is, but without support from the community around them, foster youth face

tremendous challenges.

The transition out of foster care can vary widely among states due to different ages of

release and the type of services provided. The federal government contributes a great deal of

support to health care. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act requires all states to

continue full Medicaid benefits to transitioning foster youth until age 26. Further, Title IV -E

Payments, stipends that are meant to cover food, shelter, clothing, and other incidentals, are

extended to foster youth not residing with a biological parent. In the past, these payments ended

when the child left the system at 18. Now, states have the option to prolong these payments until

the age of 21, because of the Fostering Connections to Succeed Act of 2008, and 22 states have

currently adopted this option. Recently found in the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, the Family

First and Prevention Service Act extends Title IV-E payments from just child maintenance to
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funding preventions that allow candidates for foster care to stay with their biological parents or

relatives (“Family First Prevention Services Act.”). Along with the legislation, federal grant

programs do their best to assist foster youth. For example, the John Chafee Foster Care

Independence Program is a federal grant program that provides independent services to transitional

age youth. Measures are taken to make sure foster youth have a chance at learning daily living

skills, have access to counseling, enhance their permanency plan, and receive a secondary

education. The programs provide some money for tuition and allow foster youth to continue to

receive vouchers until the age of 23 if they are enrolled in the program before they turn 21 (“How

States Differ”). There are more than just these few federal actions. Each state has a multitude of

policies specifically tailored to the needs of foster youth along with different local organizations.

Legitimate efforts are taken by both the federal and state governments to overcome this

population’s disproportionate odds. Nevertheless, they often have specific criteria that can make

eligibility difficult. Many have cut off dates and a list of the circumstances that would make them

ineligible. Young adults on their own make spontaneous decisions in critical times of need. They

often wait until there is a problem or desire instead of planning ahead. Most programs require a lot

of time to prepare adding to the difficulty. Additionally, the caseworkers and resource parents are

responsible for presenting the child with their options. If they do not do their job optimally, the

child may be unaware of the programs to which they may have access. No policies can fix the root

of the problem, the lack of interpersonal relationships. Further, policies are what people make of

them. If the youth is ill-prepared or mentally unwell or addicted to substances, then the federal and

state efforts are meaningless.

Transitional age youth have unique developmental needs that are not always met,

especially at times that involve increasing independence such as adolescents. Transitional age

youth are vulnerable to homelessness, incomplete education, unemployment, lack of support and
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mentorship, and risk of untreated mental illness and substance abuse disorders. There is a critical

need for effective interventions and transition plans that can mitigate behavioral and mental health

struggles, guiding the child into self-sufficiency. These young adults need to gradually plan the

rest of their lives, not be forced into it overnight. The age in which children are forced to leave

care and emancipate should be raised. In some states, it is 18 and others 21 as allowed by federal

law. Nevertheless, the age should be extended a few more years to ensure that these young people

receive needed support, since neurobiological development, including that of executive

functioning, persists until age 25. Foster youth need more time to adjust as they have more setbacks

than the average person. At the very least, if emancipated, they should be provided a stronger

safety net of social supports and financial resources to ensure their health and success. Although

most people are unaware or may not care about the plight of foster youth, it is important to

understand their conditions and work to resolve the problem. Without awareness or concern of

their well-being as individuals, it cannot be denied that there is an economic cost to their needs

should they not succeed. Half a million of United States children are in the system. They deserve

more than sympathy; they deserve resources, health care, and long-term guidance.
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Clemens, Elysia V., et al. “The Relationship between School Mobility and Students in Foster
Care Earning a High School Credential.” Children and Youth Services Review, vol. 68,
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