The statistics surrounding teenagers, and those who age out of the system without reunification or permanency show a devastating reality for the challenges faced by these youth.

Each year, approximately 15,000 to 20,000 youth age out of the foster care system without the security of permanency, with teens accounting for around 1/3 of the entire U.S. foster care system.

Unfortunately, studies show that only 50% to 65% of foster youth complete a high school diploma, or GED, and only 8-12% earn a 2 to 4 year college degree. Because of this, young adults who age out of the system face unemployment rates that are as high as 69%.

Due to the struggles they face, approximately 25-30% of youth who age out will experience homelessness, and up to 59% of these youth may face serious criminal, or legal system involvement by age 26.

And perhaps the most shocking statistic of all is the estimation that 60% of all child sex trafficking victims have had history within the child welfare system.

However, not all teenagers who age out need to face these realities, all they need is someone who believes in them, someone who protects them from becoming a number within these studies.

Aren't teenagers damaged?

A popular foster care myth is that all teenagers who are in foster care are damaged, or they are too difficult to deal with as they have faced more years of trauma than a younger child. This myth is one of the reasons that teens make up less than ten percent of all adoptions.

Teenagers in foster care aren't damaged. These are youth who have had years of experience to build resilience after facing difficult experiences that most adults never have had to face. Through these years, teenagers have developed strength, personality, a sense of humor, and survival skills. In addition to this, they know who they are in ways that a lot of younger children do not.

What does fostering a teen actually look like?

Many caregivers who have fostered a teen have described it as one of the most profound relationships of their life. Whenever you foster a younger child, it can be difficult to carry on conversations, understand their wants and needs, or to tell when something is working.

Whenever you foster a teenager, they are able to carry on real conversations, share their interests with you, and remember you. They can better communicate their wants, and needs. Fostering an older child is more about building trust, and showing consistency. You don't need to be a therapist, you just need to be a safe adult.

Every time a teenager finds just one stable adult, their trajectory changes. You aren't rescuing them, you are just refusing to let them face the world alone. You don't have to be perfect, you don't have to have all of the answers. You just have to show up, and LifeSpan Family Services will walk with you every step of the way.

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